What Have I Become?
by shlb
Summary: Despite her particular upbringing, Silvia always considered herself to be an ordinary, young woman; that is, until she's abducted from Earth and thrown into a galaxy filled with war, betrayal, and a revengeful Kree. Everything she thought she knew about herself will quickly change when she encounters the fearful Ronan. (Avengers, Loki, Thanos, & other MCU characters included).
1. Part I: Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story - they belong to Marvel :)

**Author's note: For MATURE readers 18+ Rated M for language, graphic violence, alcohol/drug abuse, and sex. ****You should expect this story to expand beyond GOTG into The Avengers starting in Part II. The POV will mostly be the OC's, but alternates with Ronan starting towards Part II.**

**Warning: This story is not for children or sensitive people. It is dark, full of graphic details, and might make you cry. Seriously. **

**This is a LONG-TERM, AU story. In other words: It will not end anytime soon nor will it follow the movies/comics exactly, though I try to make it fit here and there. The entire MCU is at my mercy...**

**You've been warned... I hope you enjoy ;)**

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_**Chapter song: Coming For You by Von Grey**_

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It was barely noon and I was already longing to be back in my cold, air-conditioned home. Living in the South has its perks, but summers here are unbearable. Within five minutes of walking out my front door, my body was already covered in a thin layer of sweat. After studying abroad in Europe for several semesters, I was no longer used to such extreme temperatures. I almost thought about skipping classes this morning, but I knew my professor would surely notice my absence.

All of my professors paid special attention to me. Not because I was a kiss-ass or anything, but because my father, the Governor, was running for presidency this year. My parents - like most parents - pressured me to make perfect grades, and so I did. In fact, I was in the top 5% of my class, though, I only studied as hard as I did so my parents would lay off my ass. As long as I made good grades and stayed out of trouble, I was free to do as I pleased. As soon as I graduate, I plan on getting the hell out of here and moving far, far away. My parents will be unpleasantly surprised when they find out, no doubt about that.

_Only one semester left_, I thought as I walked into my third class of the day.

Sacrificing my summer in order to finish school a semester early was an easy choice for me. It's not like I have much to do in the summer here anyways. All of my friends either go home or travel abroad, and I'm left here by myself. Because of my father's upcoming election, my parents insisted I stay home for the summer. It was annoying as shit, but I obeyed their wishes and kept my mouth shut - for the most part.

I watched the clock with dreary eyes as my professor rambled on about theories of international law, and wished I had the bravery to get up and walk out. It was so damn hot in here and my shirt was sticking uncomfortably to my back from the sweat_. _

_I can't wait to move_, I thought as I fanned out my shirt.

Much to my relief, my professor decided to end class ten minutes early. As I stood up and started packing my things, my professor approached me with a smile on his face, causing me to sigh internally.

"Got any big plans for this weekend, Silvia?" He asked. By now we were the only two left in the classroom.

I looked up at him with the nicest smile I could muster. His breath reeked of coffee and cigarettes.

"Oh, no... probably just going to study," I said, putting my backpack on and slowly walking towards the door. He casually walked behind me with his hands in his pockets.

"That's a shame. A special girl like you should be taken out on a date," he said in a hopeful voice. _Gross, _I thought, suppressing a scoff.

I awkwardly laughed and turned around to say goodbye, only to see him staring at me with disappointment in his eyes. _Well, this is fucking weird_, I thought as I practically stumbled out the door.

"Bye Dr. Dominick! See you next week," I said over my shoulder, trying to get the hell out of there before things got even more awkward.

I know men find me attractive, but I try not to think about it. I was a bit of an ugly ducking growing up, and it still weirded me out when people referred to me as beautiful or sexy. It was just...not natural. Seeing yourself on magazine covers looking like a pin-up doll really isn't as cool as everyone thinks it is. Especially when those magazines were filled with endless lies, rumors, and personal details about your life and family.

I dress as modestly as I can, but sometimes it's impossible to hide your curves. Even if you do, the paparazzi never fail to find them. I've been offered a few times to pose for one of _those_ magazines, but I turned them down. Despite the number of boyfriends I've had, no man has ever seen me naked and I wanted to keep it that way until I was married. _Someone_ in the Alamanni family has to maintain a good image, and since all of my other family members seem set on their own paths of self-destruction, that responsibility rested on me.

As I hurried across the crosswalk, a loud whistle came from a nearby truck, followed my a crude remark I blocked from my memory. I subconsciously crossed my arms over my chest and looked away, grunting with annoyance. At that moment, I decided to go to the park and enjoy some sunlight before returning home. Nature always has a way of calming me down, and right now I was feeling everything but calm. When I arrived, I happily noticed that there was barely anyone here today. After throwing my backpack on the ground, I unbuttoned my shirt and tossed it aside, revealing my beige tank top underneath.

I sat on the blanket I always carried with me in my backpack, pulled out my sunscreen and began applying the lotion to my fair skin. I'm often teased for my pale complexion, but I've become desensitized to it. The media is ruthless - regardless of your age. As a child, I never understood why my parents forbid me from looking at magazines - but then I turned eight years old and discovered a horrible truth: People are fucking mean. The memory remained perfectly clear in my mind; I snuck out of our apartment in DC and discovered a magazine stand near-by, and of course, being the stubborn child that I was, I had to have a peek. After less than a minute of glancing through the pages, I saw pictures of my parents and me - only, Casper the Ghost's face had been photo-shopped over my face. Needless to say, I've despised having my picture taken ever since then.

I took a deep breath and inhaled the fragrant aromas of the Hydrangea and Gardenia flowers around me. With a pleasant sigh, I lied down and watched the clouds above me slowly drift by, thankfully blocking out the sun's harsh rays. After a few minutes, I had forgotten about my awkward moment with Dr. Dominick and was now entranced with the beautiful sounds of nature. I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of wind passing through the palm trees and birds chirping quietly in the distance, and very soon, I unintentionally fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

I suddenly awoke with a feeling of unease. It was nighttime, but darker than I imagined possible in the middle of a city. I looked up at the sky and saw the clouds blocking the moonlight, making it darker than it should have been.

_Shit, good planning Silvia. Alone. In a park. At night._ My parents were going to kill me.

I stumbled around trying to find my things in the dark, cursing quietly at my own stupidity. Without my cell phone, I didn't even know what time it was. Judging by the drop in temperature and the eerie silence that filled the park, I knew it was well past midnight.

_How did I manage to stay asleep for so long?_

Just as I found my backpack and slipped it over my shoulders, there was a loud noise right above me - almost like a jet - which caused me to fall down in surprise and drop my things. I screamed as bright lights descended upon me, blinding me with whiteness. I placed my hands above my eyes trying to block some of the light, but I couldn't make out what was hovering above me. I became momentarily frozen with fear. I looked around to see if there was anyone who could help me, but there was no one. For once in my life I didn't want to be alone.

I slowly stood up and started backing away from the strange, floating jet. My eyes were aching from the light so I had to squinch them nearly shut in order to see anything. Just as I started to turn to run I felt a strange sensation overcome my body, like I couldn't move. Suddenly, I was weightless and realized that I was being pulled up into the jet. Panic overcame me and I began to truly scream with fear as I watched my fallen backpack get smaller and smaller in the field of grass. I attempted to pull myself out of the strange beam of light by thrashing my limbs in every direction, but my efforts were futile.

I looked up at the round opening as I got closer and tried to prepare myself for what awaited me behind that hole. My throat became uncomfortably tight and my stomach now turned as terror took ahold of my senses. I tried screaming again, but all that came out were choked gasps. I quickly started to think about all of the possibilities. Could it be the government? Is this some type of secret government agency that just so happens to have UFO-looking jets and light beams that suck people up? That didn't seem likely. I didn't want to think the only other possibility was true. It couldn't be. This couldn't be happening to me. Aliens don't exist.

As I reached the circular entrance I felt the overwhelming urge to vomit. I looked down at the ground and figured I was at least thirty feet high in the air. I hoped that whatever it was that was keeping me up wouldn't fail now; although, falling to my death sounded a lot better than having aliens perform experiments on me. The thought of that terrified me even more. I didn't have much time to panic though because the doors to the entrance parted and I was forcefully pulled into the hovercraft. I closed my eyes and prayed that my death would be quick and painless.

The moment the doors closed beneath me, the feeling of weightlessness disappeared and I dropped to the floor with a loud thud. I crawled to the nearest corner and prepared myself for what was to come. I looked around and realized that I was alone. The craft itself was dirtier than I expected. I always imagined UFOs to have white, spotlessly clean walls and shiny metal objects. Everything in here was dark and there were some type of rusty pipes running along the ceiling. There were dark, dirty spots on the walls and the floor was cluttered with what appeared to be junk. After waiting a few minutes to see if someone would come, I decided to explore the room. There was a door on the opposite wall, but it was locked and the control pad was far too complicated for me to figure out. I looked behind me and saw a small, oval window which I quickly ran over to. I looked out and saw that we were much higher in the sky than before. In fact, we had to be thousands of feet high because I could now see my entire neighborhood and tiny, ant-like cars driving along the interstate.

Thoughts of my home, my family, and my friends flooded my mind and I began to cry with renewed fear. My hands rested upon the cold window as my body began to shake. Within the next minute we were above the clouds.

It was beautiful. I could see the full, bright moon more clearly than ever before in my life. The clouds glowed white beneath its light, and for a short, fleeting second I didn't feel afraid.

Then there was a low humming noise, followed by a flutter in the floor. Within seconds I could feel my body vibrating along with the craft. I sat down as the humming grew louder and drew my arms around my knees, closing my eyes and preparing for the end. There was a sudden lurch and then I felt my body being pulled backwards, as if my body didn't want to sit straight-up. It felt similar to when a jet begins its ascent into sky, only stronger and more terrifying. Once I made that connection, it dawned on me that we were leaving Earth. _I'm in a spaceship. Oh... shit._

After about five minutes or so the pulling sensation slackened, allowing me to stand up and look out of the window again. I couldn't help but gasp with awe at the sight. There in front of me was my planet. My home. And it was beautiful. But that feeling of wonder and admiration quickly vanished when Earth became smaller and eventually just another dot like everything else. I continued looking at my planet until I could see it no longer. By then the stiffness in my legs and feet had become overwhelming.

I sank down to the dirty floor, wishing I was sleeping in my warm, soft bed. I felt an ache in my heart just thinking about it. It must have been hours since I was abducted. A feeling of utter hopelessness caused me to slouch even more as I thought about my precarious situation. All I could do was sit here and wait for whatever walked through that door. As the hours passed by, exhaustion came over me and I miraculously fell asleep.

I was floating in the air above my house, waving to my mom and dad who were smiling up at me. But then everything changed. My parents transformed into these awful, reptilian-like creatures, and then I was falling rapidly to the ground, screaming with horror. Before I hit the ground I awoke with a loud gasp. I felt the weight of a large hand on my shoulder, roughly shaking me awake.

I looked up and suddenly I was screaming again, only this time it wasn't a dream. Standing over me was the strangest creature I'd ever seen. Its skin was a sickly yellow color, reminding me of pus, and it was covered in white dots that seemed to have no pattern at all. When I looked into the creatures face I was met with large, red eyes that seemed to lack any pupil. It was terrifying, and definitely not human - although, it did have arms and legs.

My screaming must have scared the creature because it quickly stood up and backed away, shaking its hands in a non-combative manner. I hurriedly jumped up and positioned myself into a fighting stance, like I'd seen boxers do on TV. I had no idea how to actually fight, but I was not going to let this ugly _thing_ turn me into a lab rat.

"Who are you? What do you want with me?" I screamed in a panicky voice. _God, could you sound any more pathetic?_

The creature quietly watched me, all the while slowly lowering its hands. It then walked over to the only door in the room and proceeded to type something into the control pad. When it finished, the door immediately swooshed open. It then gestured to the opening, pointing with its yellow hands for me to go through.

I shook my head, cautiously backing away from the alien. I did not want to find out what was behind that door. In response, the alien grunted and pointed more dramatically to the door as if I didn't understand. I could tell it was getting impatient.

"I want to go home. Please take me back to Earth," I said, shaking my head.

The alien sighed and threw its hands up into the air in a frustrated manner. In deliberate strides it approached me and grabbed me by the arm, causing me to recoil with disgust and fear. Before I could control myself, I was once again screaming as the creature began dragging me towards the door. It struggled to hold on to me as I began hitting it in the back with my other fist, but its' grip on my arm stayed intact. The creature grunted with each hit but it never looked back or retaliated. I was dragged through a dimly lit hallway until we reached yet another door. When it slid open I was thrown roughly through the threshold, and I instantly wished I was back in that small, dirty room.

I stood there with my mouth hanging open as dozens of aliens stopped what they were doing to stare at me. Not a single one of them looked alike. Each alien had a unique skin color, and some looked like they weren't even from the same planet. In fact, one of them had what looked like tentacles as arms. The majority of them had human-like features – two arms and two legs – but they were all hideous to me.

The middle of the crowd began to part as a blue man casually walked towards me. His skin color made him look like a member of the Blue Man Group. He almost appeared human, minus the odd skin color and the red, shiny crest on top of his head. He stood directly in front of me, smiling with crooked white teeth. I could already tell this man thought highly of himself.

"Welcome aboard my ship, girl. My name is Yondu and if you haven't figured it out… I'm the captain," he said in a rough, oddly-Southern voice. "You won't be here long, but I hope you enjoy your stay," he said with a mocking wink.

I looked around nervously. "What am I doing here? Am I going home? I think you have the wrong-"

"Hey, now, shhhhhhh," he said, raising a finger to his lips. "You, sweet cheeks, are going to a very special client of mine who has a taste for Terran girls," he said, wiggling eyebrows. The aliens behind him sniggered in response.

"Terran? I have no idea what you're talking about! Please just take me home," I said, my voice fading as the aliens began to laugh.

"Girl, you aren't going home! You're going to make me a damn good profit," he said with a wide, open smile as he rubbed his hands together. I felt my skin crawl as his eyes looked me up and down. I completely forgot that I was only wearing my thin tank top and jeans.

Before I could object I was taken ahold by two new aliens on each side. They grabbed me by both arms and began roughly pulling me away from the crowd and through another hallway. I managed to get in a few good kicks, but I was already being pushed through another set of doors. I was forcefully thrown into the room, unable to catch myself as I went crashing to the floor.

The doors shut behind me with a resonating click. I grunted with pain as I stood up, trying to rub some of the soreness out of my hands and knees. When I looked up, my eyes widened with surprise as I realized I wasn't alone. There were four bunk beds, two on each side of the room, leaving a narrow walkway down the middle. Sitting on each bed was a different woman, and they were all looking at me in silent pity. When I saw two other human women, I quickly rushed to them with tears in my eyes.

"Please, tell me what's going on! I need to get out of here," I cried, hoping these women would have all the answers. They stared at me with dead eyes, as if they didn't even see me.

"They're not going to answer you. They've been sedated," said a woman sitting on the top bunk bed nearby. Her skin color was a rich purple and her hair was a vibrant yellow that reminded me of sunflowers. Judging by the length of her legs dangling off of the bed, she was very tall. "About three days ago these girls were picked up and Yondu had to sedate them because they were completely hysterical._ Terrans_," the woman said, emphasizing the last word with annoyance. "I'm Gilda by the way," she added nonchalantly.

"What are Terrans? What are they going to do with us? How do I get home?" I asked, looking up at the amazon, alien woman.

Gilda rubbed the side of her head as if she was tired and then looked down at me. Looking into my eyes, her expression softened and she gave an exasperated sigh.

"Listen...", she said.

"Silvia," I answered.

"Listen, _Silvia_. You are a Terran. It's the word used to describe people from Terra, or Earth. Yondu is what they call a ravager – thieves and smugglers mostly – and they'll do anything to make money. You, along with everyone else in this room, will be sold to a slave tradesman who is willing to pay good money for young women. And I'm sorry to tell you this, but there's no way you're going home," she said, growing quiet as I began crying again.

"A slave," I shouted in disbelief. This can't be happening. I started pacing the room with my hands on my head, trying to think of some way to get out of here. I ran to the door and started hammering my fists against the metal as hard as I could.

"Here we go," Gilda muttered, lying back down on her bed.

By now the other women had lost interest and were lying down as well. I pulled on the door with all my might, willing it to open. Nothing happened. I turned around and inspected the room, eyeing a small door in the far, right hand corner. I walked down the aisle past the other disinterested women who stared blankly at the ceiling. Opening the door, I quickly realized this must be a bathroom. The room was small, cold, and bare. It wasn't much larger than an airplane bathroom. There was a silver metallic seat with a hole in the middle and a sink with a small, foggy mirror.

I closed the door behind me and leaned over the sink, feeling sick to my stomach. I lifted my head up and met my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were bloodshot and sunken, and my complexion was paler than usual. I looked like I had the worst hangover of my life, and it felt like it. I turned the handle to the sink, feeling relieved when water began flowing out of it, and cupped my hands underneath the faucet to drink. After drinking for nearly a minute straight, I stood up already feeling better and leaned back against the wall. As I stood there looking at the mirror, an idea came into my mind, and I smiled for the first time today.

I will not be a slave.


	2. Part I: Chapter 2

**_Chapter song: Skull &amp; Bones by A.A. Bondy_**

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As I stood there in the bathroom looking down at my jeans, I felt a sudden jolt in the ship which must have meant we arrived at our destination. My heart began to race as I realized I did not have as much time as I had hoped. My trembling fingers fidgeted with the buttons on my jeans, unable to get a firm grasp, causing me to curse out loud at my own clumsiness.

After a few seconds of mild hysteria I had my jeans off and quickly wrapped them around my right hand. I threw my hand back forming a tight fist and aimed for the mirror. Even with my jeans wrapped around my hand, it hurt like hell. Sharp, shooting pains pulsed through my hand up into my arm, but I grimaced through the pain and kept aiming for the mirror. After three punches I was able to retrieve a large, pointed shard that could work as a knife. Quickly, I put my jeans back on and placed the mirror shard into the back of my pants, careful to point the sharp part upwards. Hopefully it wasn't too noticeable.

I walked back into the room with all of the bunk beds and found the women exactly how they were before. None of them even glanced in my direction as I walked past them and sat down on the bunk underneath Gilda. Within five minutes I heard loud footsteps in the hallway and Yondu's voice yelling orders. As our door parted open, two aliens who I recognized from earlier walked through with large guns in their hands. Yondu followed them in shortly after, smiling obnoxiously as before. I really did not like this man.

"Alright ladies, here's what's going to happen: you're going to follow my men here off the ship to your new owner, and you're not going to try anything, got it? If you do, my men will not hesitate to demobilize you, and you don't want that," he said, placing his hands on his belt.

Gilda hopped down from the bed with a sigh, along with the other women, and started to form a line. I quickly jumped in the line, placing myself in the middle so the guards wouldn't see the shard in my jeans. One guard placed himself in the front of the line and the other in the back as we began slowly walking through the dimly lit hallway. Gradually the hallway became lighter, suggesting that the door on the end led to somewhere outside.

As we approached the end, my nose was filled with an unpleasant smell of smoke, urine, and something that smelled similar to vomit. It was disgusting. As we walked through the doors my heart sank a little more at my surroundings. I looked around with my nose crinkled in disgust, and all I saw were junky, metallic structures everywhere. It wasn't clear if these structures were buildings or piles of junk because there was no uniformity at all. There didn't appear to be any roads, just dirt, and the air had a smoky, yellowish hue. Any assumptions I made about aliens being more developed than humans quickly vanished.

As we were led down a dirt road, sketchy looking aliens looked us up and down and started making noises resembling the cat calls I heard back home. I quickly looked down and shuffled closer to the woman in front of me as I became very aware of the stares I was receiving. I looked to my sides and saw metallic structures which actually resembled buildings, and soon I could see many others in the distance. We were directed to a small building that was lit up with red lights which reminded me of the red light district in Amsterdam. Rolling my eyes, I reluctantly entered the building along with the other women.

Almost immediately we were met with an odd looking man who looked human, only his eyes were a brilliant green and he had matching green hair that reached his shoulders. He was dressed in an extravagant suit, adorned with shiny jewels and fur trim on the sleeves. He clasped his hands together smiling and giggling creepily as he looked at us.

"Oh yes, yes, yes. Yondu has done very well indeed! Of course, he will be rewarded," he said as he pulled a small cloth bag from his pocket and placed it into one of the guard's hands. The guards quickly left after that, leaving us alone with the strange man. He turned to us and held his hands out to his sides in a dramatic fashion.

"Hello, my beautiful girls. My name is Forezzo," he said, rolling the 'r' as if he was trying to taste it. "I will be taking care of you from now on and in return you will do as I say. You can be very happy here, you just need the right attitude," he said clasping his hands again. "Now please, line up against the wall," he said pointing to the wall behind us.

As we lined up he began pacing back and forth, carefully scrutinizing us with squinted eyes while doing so. He began separating us into two groups, and I wasn't sure what it meant. I felt my stomach flip as his eyes landed on me. Unlike the other women, his eyes lingered on my face longer than anywhere else, and as he looked at me his eyes seemed to soften for the slightest moment. He waved his hand for me to stand in the group where Gilda was waiting and I instantly shuffled over to stand next to her.

"What does this mean?" I whispered up at her.

"Look around you. What do you think it means?" She replied, looking at the girls in our group and then to the other group.

I turned my head to look at each woman in our group. All of them were very pretty, including Gilda, and they all had curvy, feminine figures. I then looked over at the other group and I instantly noticed the difference. The women in the other group were far less curvy and their features were plainer, but I didn't know what that had to do with anything.

_OK, so he's separating the women based on their looks. Looks wouldn't matter unless you're a…_

"Oh God, no!" I gasped, looking over at Gilda. She slightly nodded her head without looking at me.

Before I could even think, our group was ushered into another room by a man dressed in all black, carrying a gun in one of his hands. We were taken to a small room that was lined with lockers from floor to ceiling. The man ordered us to strip and put our belongings into a locker of our choosing. After several seconds of us standing there doing nothing, the man fired a warning shot into the lockers behind us, eliciting several screams in the process.

Almost instantaneously the women started undressing, and deciding I couldn't use my homemade knife anyways, I started undressing as well. I made sure to keep the mirror shard hidden as I took off my jeans and quickly placed them into the locker. My face burned red as I looked up and realized all of the women had taken off everything, and I was still wearing my bra and panties.

"Take all of it off, Terran," the man ordered, pointing the gun in my direction. He didn't seem at all interested in me sexually; in fact, he seemed kind of bored. I guess naked women become less interesting when you see them every day.

"OK, fine! Just… don't shoot me," I said, my voice cracking at the end.

I turned around unclasping my bra and slowly shrugged it off. I carefully slid my panties off, trying not to bend over too much. With one arm I cupped my breasts, successfully hiding my nipples, and with the other hand I reached down and covered the other half of me. I had never been naked in front of a man before, and I wasn't going to let him be the first to see my most private part. Slowly, I turned around and saw the guard roll his eyes while motioning for us to follow him.

We were led to a metallic door with an oval glass window. It eerily reminded me of the gas chambers I had seen in WWII pictures. The guard ordered us to line up in front of the door, pointing his gun at us of course, and then proceeded to hand each of us a clear plastic bag meant to go over our heads. After several seconds of hesitation and being threatened by the guard, I complied along with the other women and slipped the bag over my head. There was an opening where the nose and mouth were, allowing me to breathe, and the bottom was elastic so it tightened around my neck and kept my hair tucked inside. It looked like an overly large shower cap, and I felt ridiculous.

When we were done putting on the bizarre bags, the guard guided us through the metal door and quickly closed it behind him on his way out. My heart was fluttering because I didn't know what was going on, but I knew my life wasn't in danger. It didn't make sense for Forezzo to buy us, only to kill us ten minutes later. The inside of the room reminded me of a steam room at a spa. The walls and floors were made of some type of concrete and on the ceiling there were at least a dozen sprinkler heads. In the middle of the room there was a large drain, which made me realize this must be the shower. But why would they make us cover our hair and faces? Almost immediately as the words entered my mind, a yellow liquid started raining down on us.

It burned. It felt like I had a horrible sunburn and someone was rubbing me with a Brillo pad. I heard a few of the women grunt in pain, and some even screamed, but I started running around trying to find refuge from the burning I felt over my entire body. No matter where I stood, the yellow liquid rained down on me. When I looked down and saw the liquid running between my legs I panicked and tried rubbing the liquid off of me, but when I did all of my hair came off with it. In the yellow puddles around my feet I could see blonde and light brown hair accumulating. I ran to Gilda who was now hissing and frantically rubbing her arms.

"What is this stuff?" I cried out, holding my hands up trying to shield myself from the liquid.

"It permanently removes your hair. People are willing to pay more if you're hairless, so all prostitutes have to go through this," she said, now angrily rubbing in between her legs. "It will stop burning once you've removed all the hair," she said grimacing.

I quickly began rubbing my entire body with a desperation I had never felt before. Sure enough, once my body was completely bald the burning sensation stopped and I sighed in relief. Soon after all the women were hairless, the sprinklers switched to water, eliciting a collective sigh among the women. We were instructed to remove the bags from our heads, which I didn't oppose since I desperately needed a real shower. The guard walked in and placed a piece of soap into each of our hands, and I couldn't help but smile. I had never been so happy to take a shower.

After we were finished we were led back to our lockers, wrapped in thin purple towels. As I was getting dressed I couldn't help but admire my skin. Without hair, it felt ten times softer and it even looked smoother. I supposed I should be angry that someone altered my body without my permission, but honestly a life without razors or waxing sounded amazing. The only hair left on my body now was the hair on my head.

Forezzo walked in as I stuck the mirror shard into the back of my jeans again. He smiled as he inspected some of the women who were still undressed. In his left hand he carried a yellow jar, and in the other a small brush. As he approached the women, he closely regarded their faces and dipped the brush into the jar, and then brushed the yellow liquid around the women's eyebrows. After a few seconds he gently wiped away the liquid, leaving the women left with perfectly sculpted eyebrows. When it was my turn, he slowly turned to me with twinkling eyes, and dramatically twirled the brush in his fingers.

"So lovely," he said, walking over to me. "The face of an angel and the body of a little vixen. A walking contradiction," he said, giggling to himself.

I felt nauseous at the thought of him touching me. My hand slightly twitched as I imagined driving my shard through his throat. I would have ended his miserable life right there if it weren't for his guard standing in the corner. As the tip of his brush touched my brow, I felt the familiar burning sensation, but the anger coursing through me dulled the pain. As soon as his guard leaves, I'll have my chance to escape.

It wasn't long before Forezzo led us into another room. It was the same room where we were separated into groups, so it was right next to the entrance. If I was going to escape, this would be the best time, and I would have to act fast. I glared at the guard, wishing he and his big gun would leave. Forezzo walked to the wall of the entrance door and unlocked a case full of... collars. _You've got to be kidding._

"Now girls, this is a little protection for you and for me as well," he said, walking over to one of the girls in the group. "No one will harm you if they see this around your neck. However, disobey me and this will be your downfall. Like I said, you just need the right attitude," he said as he snapped the color onto the woman. He then walked over to Gilda, holding out another collar marked with a different number.

"What do you mean downfall?" Gilda asked impatiently. Forezzo smiled as he reached up and locked the collar around her neck.

"Perhaps a demonstration would be best, yes?" He said overly excited.

He grabbed Gilda by the arm and walked her to the entrance, opening the door. He then pushed Gilda outside the door, and instantaneously Gilda was on the ground contorting in pain, screaming like I've never heard anyone scream before. Forezzo dragged Gilda back inside and dropped her on the floor where she continued to whimper and shake. If someone like Gilda could be taken down so easily, there's no way in Hell I stood a chance. Looking around, I saw the other women staring submissively at the floor. I shook my head in disbelief.

Just then Forezzo ordered the guard to bring a change of clothes for Gilda, who was now sweating profusely. This was my chance. I would have to do this before the guard returned. As Forezzo looked down at Gilda smiling, I pulled the shard out of my jeans and slowly walked towards the door. I looked at Gilda as I made my way forward, making eye contact with her. She caught on to what I was doing and slightly nodded her head. My stomach suddenly dropped as I saw Forezzo start to turn his head in my direction. Suddenly Gilda started whimpering louder than before, causing Forezzo to look back down at her. Without thinking, I ran behind Forezzo and drove the shard deep into the side of his neck. He turned around with his hand on his neck, which was now gushing bright, red blood, and looked at me in astonishment.

"My little angel," he whispered, suddenly dropping to his knees.

"I'm not your angel and I will _never_ be your whore," I growled vehemently. He fell face forward onto the floor with his eyes locked on my face, wide with shock. It was both satisfying and slightly horrific to watch him die. I turned to Gilda and the other girls, anxious to escape while I still had the chance.

"Run," I urged, walking backwards through the entrance. "The guard will be back soon," I said before dashing away into the street.

_Oh my God, I just killed a man. He deserved it. Right? No, stop it. Don't think about it._

I started running in the opposite direction we came through, hoping to find someone who could help me. I reached a part of the city that was more crowded than the rest. As I maneuvered my way through the bustling street I could hear men shouting crude things at me, but I didn't care at this point. I just needed to find someone who didn't look completely untrustworthy.

Suddenly, there was an explosion about one hundred feet in front of me, making me stop in my tracks. To my amazement, I saw a man who appeared to be human stumble out of the smoking building. He looked to be around thirty years old, and he was rather cute in his leather outfit. As I ran to him, he looked me up and down with a curious look on his face.

"It's been awhile since I've seen jeans," he stated sarcastically, though his face was etched with worry.

"Please help me," I said slightly out of breath. "I was abducted from Earth and I need to get back home. I don't know where I am or what's going on. Please, can you help me?" I asked with obvious desperation.

"Well I'm sort of in the middle of saving the galaxy," he said, closing his eyes and rubbing his head in frustration. "But yeah, of course I'll help you. It's not very often I meet another Terran, err I mean Earthling. What's your name?" He asked nicely, ignoring the stares he was receiving from his friends. _Wait, is that a raccoon? What the hell..._

"Silvia," I replied uneasily. "Who are you? What do you mean you're saving the galaxy?" I asked, becoming worried. He placed his hand on my shoulder, leading me away from his strange assortment of friends.

"You can call me Peter, but others know me as Star Lord," he said completely serious. "The Universe is a lot more complicated than you think, Silvia. There are weapons that can completely destroy entire planets, and I'm trying to contain one right now. I have to go to a planet called Xandar first, and then I can figure out a way to get you home. If I don't get this to the Nova Corps, we're all doomed," he said quietly, looking around us to make sure no one was listening.

"You sound kind of crazy," I said warily. "If this is true, why are you telling me this? You don't even know me," I asked with obvious skepticism. If he really was saving the galaxy he shouldn't be revealing his plan to someone he just met.

"Well for one, you're from Earth - southern United States if I had to guess - and that pretty much makes you harmless because you don't know what the hell I'm talking about," he said smiling. "And two, you're nice to look at," he said flirtingly. As he looked over my shoulder his smile turned into a frown. "Hide, now! I'll be back," he said, running away with a green woman at his side.

Suddenly I heard the sound of a large spaceship, and after turning around I discovered a fleet of them heading in my direction. After looking to my right and seeing a large pink man wielding knives and smiling maniacally at the fleet, I decided to take Peter's advice and hide. I could hear people frantically shouting and screaming as the spaceships came closer. I ran into the smoking building and hid behind some debris, hoping whatever the hell was coming would not find me. I couldn't hear or see what was going on outside, which only added to my anxiety.

After about twenty minutes of nothing happening, I got out from my hiding spot. I didn't understand why everyone had panicked. As I walked outside I saw people on their knees lined up in execution style. Before them stood a blue woman who appeared to be half robot. Her head snapped to me as if she sensed my presence and I took a step back in response. In quick, inhuman strides she was directly in front of me, tilting her head to the side. She looked behind her in the direction of the people on their knees.

"Is this the one who was seen speaking with the criminal known as Star Lord?" She asked, her voice harsh and slightly robotic sounding.

As one of the men guiltily nodded, I felt the woman's hand tightly grip my arm and pull me in the direction of a large ship. I couldn't help but cry out as the woman's grip tightened when I tried pulling away.

"Let go! You're hurting me," I said angrily. I continued trying to pull away, but her grip only intensified. I started to become frantic as we got closer to the ship. No, this couldn't be happening again. I had to stay here so Peter could take me home!

"Get your fucking hands off me," I said through tightly clenched teeth.

"Quiet, Terran," she said sounding slightly annoyed.

"I said let _go_, you fucking bitch," I hissed as I dug my feet into the ground. Her head quickly snapped to me.

"You can either comply or I will break your arm. Either way you are coming aboard," she said coldly. Sensing my resistance, she quickly twisted my arm so it was behind my back, causing me to gasp in pain. I could feel the muscles threatening to tear.

"OK! Fine," I said, wincing with pain. "Where are you taking me?" I asked, feeling pathetic. Much to my embarrassment, my eyes started to tear up as I realized I was once again someone's hostage.

"To Ronan," she said simply.


	3. Part I: Chapter 3

_**Chapter song: Hey Now by London Grammar**_

* * *

The woman turned back around and continued pulling me towards the ship. As I was forced up the ramp, I felt an overwhelming urge to scream, cry, shout, and hit someone. I could feel every emotion building up and my throat felt like it was constricting from all of the pressure. My muscles began tightening up as I thought about everything that had happened within the last twenty-four hours.

I became so lost in my thoughts I didn't even realize we were deep inside the ship. I felt the familiar vibrations as the ship began to depart, but I didn't even care where we were going. All I could think about was this Ronan guy and what he could possibly want with me.

I finally looked up when we came to an abrupt stop. In front of us stood tall, dark, double-doors that looked menacing. The woman turned to the guard standing watch and ordered him to open the door, which he did almost immediately. Quickly, I was dragged through the doors and led down a foreboding hallway.

I urged all of my emotions to go away, but I couldn't stop the tears from falling as I looked down the dark hallway. I angrily wiped away the tears as we stopped in front of another set of doors. This time there was no guard so the woman let go of me to open the doors herself. Once opened, she grabbed ahold of me and roughly pulled me inside, causing me to stumble inside and catch myself on my hands and knees.

"Ronan. This girl was seen conversing with Star Lord. I was told the conversation appeared serious," she said robotically.

"I asked for the orb and you bring me a girl," he said angrily without turning around.

I looked up at the sound of his voice, which seemed to fill the entire room. It was deep, rich, and had an authoritative tone. I could only see his back, but judging from what I saw, this was not a man you wanted to mess with. He had to be almost seven feet tall, which was huge compared to my small five foot frame. He wore dark armor over his entire body, enhancing his broad shoulders and chest. On top of his head he wore matching dark armor in the shape of a hood, so I was unable to see his head. I mustered up what little courage I had left and spoke up.

"P-please," I stammered. "I don't want any trouble..." I said, my voice fading as he turned around.

He was terrifyingly beautiful. His skin was blue, but it was different from all of the other blue aliens I had seen. It had a light purple undertone which reminded me of a twilight sky, and it looked magnificent. His face was marked with black paint around his eyes which connected to his bottom lip and chin. He looked like a warrior, but the way he held himself suggested he was a commander. His presence inspired fear and respect. As his piercing purple eyes met mine, I was left speechless.

I cautiously stood up as he walked towards me, his eyes never leaving mine. I felt my knees start to shake as he came closer, his height becoming increasingly intimidating by the second. The top of my head didn't even reach his shoulders.

He stopped only when he stood two feet from me, causing me to tilt my head backwards to look up at him. His eyes narrowed as he scanned my clothes, making my face turn red when his eyes lingered on my torso.

"Whose blood is that?" He asked, his voice laced with warning. His gaze drifted back up to my face, waiting for me to answer.

Confused, I looked down to see what he was talking about, and much to my surprise there were blood splatters on my tank top and down my right arm. It must be Forezzo's blood. I nervously bit my lip, trying to come up with an answer that didn't involve murder. This man truly terrified me and I did not want a reason to be on his bad side.

"I was, umm, painting earlier. It's not...blood," I answered anxiously without looking up.

When he didn't respond, I hesitantly looked up until I met his eyes. His eyes burned into mine, as they now seemed to be filled with hidden rage. I took a step back without thinking, frightened by his sudden change in demeanor.

As I stepped back, his left hand quickly snatched my left hand, grasping my pinky finger. Before I could even process what he was doing, I saw black spots dance before my eyes as I felt excruciating pain in my hand. I fell to my knees screaming and cradled my hand to my chest. Looking down, I saw that my pinky finger was now unnaturally bent sideways, pointing outwards. My hand seemed to have a pulse of its own as pain radiated from my hand up into my arm. Now crying hysterically, I looked up at him, my eyes wide from shock, fear, and horrible pain.

"Leave us," he said to the robotic woman who was still standing by the door. I heard the door close behind me and desperately wished for a way out of here.

"Why - did you - do that?" I cried out in between sobs. I could see tears dropping onto the floor as I leaned over, gently cradling my hand.

"The next lie you speak will be your last, Terran. Whose blood is that?" He asked threateningly. He appeared unphased by my distraught state as he looked down at me, anger still lurking in his eyes.

"His name was Forezzo. He was going to turn me into one of his whores. I didn't know what else to do, I'm sorry! I had to escape," I cried desperately, looking up at him from the floor.

"What is your relationship to Star Lord?" He promptly asked.

"Who is…." I started to ask, but as Ronan's eyes narrowed at me I realized who he was talking about. Star Lord was Peter. The man who said would take me home. I looked down, too scared to make eye contact with Ronan. I didn't want Peter to get in trouble, he actually seemed nice. "I don't really know him, I just met him," I said sniffling.

Ronan must have sensed that I was hiding something, because the next thing I knew I was being slammed against the wall behind me. The back of my head collided with the wall, causing everything in my vision to spin. My head swayed on my shoulders before Ronan roughly grabbed my jaw, forcing me to look up at him. I whimpered as my vision refocused and I saw Ronan's eyes looking deeply into mine, almost as if he was searching for something.

"Tell me what you know," he said slowly, his grip tightening on my jaw. I winced as the pain became too much.

"Please, just let me go home," I cried pitifully, looking up at him again. He scowled at me in response, baring his teeth which appeared to be coated in the same black paint. His large, rough hand lowered to my neck and his fingers wrapped almost completely around it.

"I will end your pitiful life this instant if you do not tell me what you know," he growled as he lifted me up by my neck.

My eyes grew wide with fear as my toes were lifted off the floor and I felt the blood flow being cut off to my head. My hands instinctively clung to his arm, trying to pull it away. Within seconds I felt my eyes grow heavy and just as my vision began to fade, I was dropped to the floor, instantly gasping for breath. The sudden rush of blood to my head made it feel unbearably heavy, so I remained on the floor face up, looking up at Ronan who was now towering over me. When I felt tears leave the corners of my eyes, I couldn't help but feel angry at myself for being so weak.

"Speak, Terran," he growled as he placed his boot on top of my neck.

"He said something about a weapon that could destroy planets," I began slowly, still trying to catch my breath. "He's taking it to a place called Zandoor or Sandar I think," I said tiredly.

The answer seemed to satisfy him because he lifted his boot off of my neck and proceeded to slowly pace next to me. I lifted my hand to my neck and could feel indentions where his boot had been. I watched him pace back and forth, thinking quietly to himself. At this point my finger stopped hurting as much, but that was because the circulation was now cut off from the broken bone. It was starting to turn white, and I felt sick looking at it. As I sat up, he looked at me from the corner of his eyes, his body slightly turned away.

"Why would he reveal his plans to a supposed stranger?" He asked, his eyes darkening with suspicion.

"He said because I'm harmless and… never mind. He was being stupid," I said too quickly.

"Tell me," he said impatiently, turning his body towards me.

"He said I was… nice to look at," I answered hesitantly. I looked up to see his reaction and caught him arrogantly smirk before turning away.

"Nebula," he said loudly. Within seconds the blue robotic woman walked in, waiting for Ronan to speak.

"Take her to a cell and see that she is fed," he said, his eyes now filled with determination.

"What is happening?" Nebula asked, sensing Ronan's excitement.

"We are going to Xandar," he said amused, turning away from us. I stood there defeated, feeling my heart sink. What have I done? Peter is going to be killed by this psychopath because of me. He was a stranger, but he was the first nice person I met since I was abducted. He was going to take me home and he didn't even know me.

Nebula began pulling on my shoulder to take me to my cell, but Ronan turned around to face me once again.

"Wait," he ordered as he walked over to us in purposeful strides. "Tell me your name," he commanded, looking down at me with piqued interest.

"Silvia," I answered meekly. I didn't like how he was standing so close to me. He reached for my left hand and I instinctively started pulling away from him trying to escape, but he managed to get ahold of me.

"No! I didn't lie to you! I swear! Please," I cried, flailing around as he held my wrist.

"Be still," he barked angrily. His tone suggested he was not going to tolerate my defiance, so I quietly cried and braced myself for the pain. My tightly squinted eyes slowly opened when I didn't feel the horrible, tortuous pain I was expecting.

He held my left hand with both of his hands, turning it in different directions while he inspected my broken finger. His large blue hands made my hand look tiny in comparison. I watched his face as he examined my finger, giving me the opportunity to admire his features more closely. He had a heart-shaped face with a prominent chin which gave him a masculine appearance. His deep-set eyes were intimidating to look upon, and his high cheekbones and long, sharp nose made him look very wise. When he wasn't scowling, his wide, defined lips slightly turned up at the corners, giving him a menacing look. I was still staring at his lips when I noticed he was looking directly at me.

As we made eye contact, I felt him abruptly twist my broken finger, causing me to scream and writhe in his grasp. He continued to pull and twist on my finger while I yelled in response. After a full minute of this horrible pain, I was covered in sweat and started to feel sick to my stomach. As I heard my finger pop into place, I gripped onto the nearest thing, which happened to be Ronan's arm, and fell unconscious at his feet.

When I awoke, I was lying on a cold, metal floor, covered in goose bumps. Shakily, I stood up and looked around my new cell. Compared to the cell on Yondu's ship, this room was a palace. It wasn't necessarily large, but there was still plenty of space and it was spotlessly clean. There was a single light in the middle of the ceiling which emitted a bluish-white glow. In front of me there was a metal cot that had a thin blanket and pillow, neatly tucked into place. Next to the cot there was a simple metal table. On the wall opposite of the bed, there was an archway that led into a small bathroom which contained a toilet, sink, and shower. Everything was extremely clean and made of silver metal. Unfortunately there was no mirror this time, so my previous method of escaping was not an option.

My whole body felt utterly disgusting from today's previous events. Tears and sweat left my body feeling grimy and dry. When I undressed, I stuck my panties in the sink and washed them thoroughly. It didn't feel right to clean my body only to put dirty panties back on. As I stepped into the small shower, I was surprised to see built-in soap dispensers in the shower wall. I closed my eyes and reveled in the feeling of hot water running down my back. I almost forgot about my pinky finger until I started washing my hair and it erupted in pain.

After thirty minutes of peaceful solitude, I stepped outside of the shower and quickly got dressed. When I walked out of the bathroom I was startled to see a tray sitting on the table next to my cot. On the tray there was a plate of food I did not recognize, a glass of water, and a pill.

Not a second later, Nebula walked into my cell and closed the door behind her with more force than necessary. She looked me up and down, noticing my dripping wet hair and looked at the tray behind me. She placed one hand on her hip, looking slightly annoyed.

"Why haven't you eaten your food, Terran?" she asked while gesturing to the food behind me.

"Well, I literally saw it five seconds ago. I'll eat it, trust me," I said, but she didn't seem amused. "So what is the pill for?" I asked, glancing at it anxiously. She looked at me for a few seconds as if she was deciding whether or not to answer me.

"It will speed up the healing process in your hand. Eat. Now," she ordered before turning around and walking out of the cell.

I walked over to the tray and inspected the food. It looked like some kind of roll, fruit, and meat. I tried the bread and it tasted kind of like sour dough bread, but sweeter. The meat had a gamey taste that reminded me of elk, but it was extremely chewy. The fruit resembled and even tasted like a banana, except it was green and much smaller. When I was done eating I felt full and satisfied. I promptly took my pill and drank my glass of water.

Ten minutes later I felt a warm, fuzzy feeling overcome my body and I was soon lying immobilized on my bed. It felt similar to the effect pain killers had on me when I had my wisdom teeth removed. I felt like I was spinning, yet I was lying perfectly still. I held my hand out in front of my face and examined my pinky finger. It was swollen and covered in purple bruises, but at the moment it didn't hurt one bit.

I started giggling, but I wasn't sure why because there was absolutely nothing funny to laugh about. I was being held prisoner on an alien spaceship. I closed my eyes trying to stay serious, but I ended up laughing even harder thinking about my situation. I was high as a kite.

When I was done laughing I sighed contentedly and opened my eyes. I wasn't sure if I was dreaming or not because suddenly Ronan was standing over me, his eyes narrowed as he looked down at me. I couldn't help but giggle at how serious he appeared. How did I not hear him come in? I knew I should be afraid of him, but the pill was seriously messing with my judgment. I honestly still didn't know if this was real or not.

I tried sitting up but my body felt so heavy I quickly fell back down to the bed smiling. I lazily rolled over onto my side facing him and started reaching out to touch the armor on his leg. It looked so soft. He stepped backwards out of my reach as he saw my hand reach for him, and sat down in a chair he had facing my cot. I pouted in disappointment and let my arm hang over the bed.

"Silvia," he said in a low voice, resting his hands on each of his thighs. "What else did Star Lord say to you?" he asked seriously.

"You said my name," I whispered, completely ignoring his question. "It sounds nice when you say it," I said smiling._ Wait, why did I just say that?_

"Answer the question," he said, warning me. He leaned forward in his chair as if ready to strike.

"He has to get it to the Nova Corps or else we're doomed," I said, mocking Ronan's serious tone. When I looked up he did not look like he found my impersonation funny at all. In fact, he looked quite pissed.

"You know… you're the one who tortured ME earlier, so if anyone has a right to be angry it's me….which I am by the way! This fucking pill…" I slurred, unable to finish the sentence. I closed my eyes, enjoying the warm feeling I felt over my body.

"You should be grateful I attended to your injury," he said sharply. I could feel his eyes burning into my face as I genuinely laughed.

"You want me to be grateful that you fixed my finger... which you broke in the first place," I said disbelievingly, opening my eyes to look at him.

"You will quickly learn that all actions have consequences, Terran," he said harshly, leaning back into his chair. I frowned as he called me Terran. It sounded so demeaning when he used it, like it was a disease or something.

"Now tell me," he continued. "Who was with Star Lord when you spoke with him?" he asked determinedly.

I had to think about that for a few seconds. It was becoming harder to form thoughts in my head. I had no idea what this pill was, but it was turning me into a slurring drunkard by the second. I reached up to rub my eyes as I tried to recall running up to Peter in front of the smoking building. My eyes popped open as I remembered.

"A raccoon…a tree…," I mumbled as he stared at me with an incredulous look upon his face. "Oh and a green woman," I said matter-of-factly.

I started to play with my damp hair which was falling in between my breasts. I casually twirled my hair around my finger, completely forgetting that Ronan was there. I glanced up and caught him openly staring at my chest with mild curiosity. I looked back down and realized my breasts were pushed together from lying sideways, making them appear even larger. I stopped twirling my hair and immediately rolled onto my back, turning my head away from him.

"It's rude to stare you know," I muttered with annoyance. I really hated wearing this stupid tank top. "And also, I could really use a tooth brush," I mumbled as I crossed my arms over my chest.

I heard his chair scrape against the metal floor as he stood up angrily and stormed out of the room.

When I woke up in the morning, there was a tooth brush and paste sitting on the table next to my bed.

I guess it wasn't a dream after all.


	4. Part I: Chapter 4

_**Chapter song: Run Cried The Crawling by Agnes Obel**_

* * *

As I sat up in my bed my body still felt a little groggy from the pill. I lazily reached for the tooth brush and paste on the table next to my bed, staring at it in disbelief. Did that really happen last night? What the hell was I thinking? I sighed as I remembered telling him it sounded nice when he said my name. Damn him and that fucking pill. I couldn't face him now after acting like a complete idiot. I put my hand to my forehead as I recalled trying to touch the armor on his leg. It made no sense for me to want to touch that bastard. He tortured me. He mutilated my hand.

Thinking about my hand led me to look down at it. Right away I noticed that the bruising was almost gone and the pain was hardly noticeable. How was that possible? I guess the pill really did help me after all. But, he still came into my cell knowing that I would be fucked up. He took advantage of my vulnerable state and proceeded to interrogate me. Fuck that guy!

I angrily stomped into the bathroom and began furiously brushing my teeth as I thought about last night. That man had no honor at all. My hand stopped mid-stroke as I vaguely remembered Ronan storming out of the room, but I couldn't remember why he had been so angry when he left. As I continued brushing my teeth, I tried to call to mind what happened beforehand, but everything was a blur.

When I stepped out of the bathroom I was unsurprised to find another tray of food sitting by my bed. As if on cue, Nebula opened the door and quickly walked over to me, looking me up and down. Seeing that my food was untouched, she started to speak but I quickly interrupted her.

"Yes, I will eat the food," I muttered, turning around.

On the tray there was a bowl filled with something that looked like porridge and the same fruit I had last night. I sat down on the bed with the tray in my lap and quickly began eating as Nebula watched me. As I took my last bite, she immediately pulled the tray out of my lap and threw it onto the table. She then proceeded to grab me by my arm and pull me up into a standing position.

"Come. Ronan demands your presence," she said, already pulling me to the door.

"Why?" I asked angrily. "I've already told him everything I know." Of course, she ignored my question.

Her grip on my arm was unnecessarily painful as she forced me through the hallway - practically dragging me - until we reached an impressive set of double doors. Immediately she opened the doors and pushed me inside, but she didn't come in after me. As I turned around, I saw her smirk before the heavy doors closed with an ominous thud. I cautiously looked back over my shoulder expecting to see Ronan, but I was all alone.

It was an impressively large room. The floors and ceiling were covered in a dark metal which made the room look cold and menacing. The ceiling had to be at least thirty feet high, making the room appear even larger. Slowly, I began walking forward until I reached a large, metallic structure. As I stepped in front of it to get a better angle, I realized it was a chair. Ronan's chair. I rolled my eyes and slowly turned around.

In front of me was a long hallway and at the end there was a large window that reached from floor to ceiling. I walked over to the window and looked out to see a planet that resembled Earth. The sight made my eyes water as I thought of my family and friends back home who were probably searching for me. As I gazed out the window I couldn't help but admire the beautiful sight. Everywhere I looked I could see twinkling stars and tiny planets in the distance. I stood there staring, becoming lost in the depths of the galaxy.

I was brought out of my stupor when I heard heavy footsteps slowly approaching me from behind. I remained facing the window, trying my best to appear unmoved by Ronan's presence, but I couldn't stop myself from slightly trembling as I heard him stop within arm's reach.

"You drugged me," I said angrily. "That pill made me act like a fucking idiot," I said turning around, looking up at him. His eyes burned into mine, but his mouth was slightly curved up on one side as if he was amused.

"It helped your hand, did it not?" He said in a deep, mocking voice. I looked down at my hand, unable to argue with his point. He stepped closer to me, looking down at me smugly.

"It seemed an appropriate time to extract information from you. It didn't take long before the truth came spilling from your mouth,_ Silvia_," he said slowly, emphasizing my name. I realized the son of a bitch was mocking me. My face started to flush with embarrassment.

"Asshole," I angrily hissed as I pulled my hand back to strike him.

Before I could even ball my hand into a fist, he had his hand tightly wrapped around my wrist, holding it up beside my head. As he stared down at me with disapproval, his grip became alarmingly painful, and I couldn't help but whimper in response. I stared back in defiance as he slightly tilted his head down in warning.

The two of us became locked in a stare-down until he growled and squeezed my wrist with much more force than before. I cried out and finally looked away as the pain became intolerable. Satisfied by my submission, Ronan roughly threw my wrist down and looked down at me with his chin held high.

"Why am I here?" I asked, turning back around to look at the Earth-like planet. I tried to sound brave, but my voice wavered with fear and pain. I rubbed my aching wrist which was already starting to bruise.

"I want you to witness what is about to happen," he confessed. "You are, after all, partly responsible for it," he said as he stepped next to me. His clear, yet quiet voice was tainted with mockery. I turned my head to look up at him, confused by what he said.

"What are you talking about?" I asked hesitantly. I did not like where this was going.

"Your information was correct. The orb is indeed on Xandar and soon it will be in my possession. When that happens, I will unfurl one thousand years of Kree justice on Xandar and burn it to its core," he said venomously. He stared at the planet with pure hatred in his eyes as he spoke.

"But if you destroy an entire planet you will kill millions of innocent people," I exclaimed, horrified at what he was saying.

"Long have I waited for this day. I will finally avenge my father and his father and his father before him, and cleanse the galaxy of Xandarians and their diseased culture," he said as he started walking away.

"Wait!" I cried out, grabbing onto his arm. He roughly jerked his arm away without even turning around and continued walking. I ran in front of him and placed my hands on his chest, trying to push him back.

"You can't do this! This is evil," I yelled, leaning forward with all of my weight.

He barely even glanced in my direction as he reached out with one hand and sent me flying against the wall. As my back collided with the hard metal, I got the wind knocked out of me, which caused me to gasp and groan for air. By the time I had recovered, Ronan was already gone.

I ran to the window, staring at the planet which reminded me of home. I saw a small spaceship heading towards the planet, which I assumed held Ronan inside. I stared at his ship hoping it would miraculously explode before he reached the planet, but of course that did not happen. I lost sight of him when his ship entered Xandar's stratosphere, and instantly my eyes started filling with tears.

This was my fault. He never would have known where to find the orb if I hadn't told him. Millions, possibly billions, of people were going to be killed and I couldn't do a thing to stop it. I stood there watching the planet from the window, hoping something would go horribly wrong for Ronan. Maybe the Xandarians would be able to defeat him. There had to be at least one person in this galaxy who could stop him.

I placed my hands on the window as I closely watched the planet for any signs of change. It felt like I had been standing there for hours, but nothing happened. I actually started to feel hopeful. As I started to relax and lower my gaze, I noticed something flash in the corner of my eye.

I looked up and noticed a purple light slowly spreading over the planet's surface, followed by darkness. My hands slammed against the window and I gasped in horror as I watched Xandar's oceans turn into wastelands.

"No! No! No!" I screamed over and over, pounding my hands against the window.

My heart felt like it was being torn apart as I watched the planet fade to black. In my mind I imagined people screaming and running for their lives, and children being obliterated before their parent's eyes. Xandar was completely destroyed within thirty seconds. I fell to my knees crying, my hands still pressed against the window.

"I'm sorry," I wailed. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I'm so sorry," I cried to no one.

Through blurry tear-filled eyes I watched Ronan's ship return. I suddenly felt a burning, white-hot rage I had never felt before. My body started to shake with the fury I now felt deep inside me. My hands clenched into tight fists as I stood up, causing my knuckles to turn white. I slowly stood up, my body rigid with emotion. As I heard Ronan's footsteps behind me, I turned away from the destroyed planet and faced him.

In his hand he carried a large hammer that looked to be about my height. In the middle of the head there was a stone that glowed purple - the same color purple I had seen spread over the planet. I looked at him with pure loathing and he stopped in his tracks, and narrowed his eyes at me.

"Murderer! You disgusting, evil, bastard!" I screamed, walking towards him with my fists tightly clenched at my sides. "You just murdered millions of innocent people, you heartless monster!" I said, my voice dripping with animosity. I only stopped when he pointed his hammer at me.

"Do not speak of things you know nothing about!" He spat, his face contorted with anger. I took a step closer to his hammer, not caring anymore what he did to me. He tilted the head of his hammer sideways as if he was going to use it, but he remained standing there staring at me.

"Do it! Kill me! Get it over with already," I cried out angrily, tears running down my face.

"Be careful what you say, Terran," he said darkly, his eyes narrowing in disbelief as I took a step closer. He immediately pulled his arm back so the hammer wouldn't touch me.

"Please, I can't live like this! I'm the reason they're dead…all those people…" I said hysterically. I fell to my knees at his feet, looking up at him desperately. "You have no use for me anymore! Let me go or kill me now!" I said, my voice breaking at the end as my emotions took over.

"I'll be the one to decide when you are no longer useful," he said angrily. I fell forward onto my hands at his words, shaking my head and crying loudly. "Stop your pathetic mewling before I give you a real reason to cry, girl," he said looking down at me with disgust.

"I hate you," I said, my voice barely a whisper as I continued to cry on the floor.

He walked over to me and kicked me in my stomach, causing me to cry out and fall to my side. I lied there for several seconds dry heaving until I felt his boot dig into my shoulder, forcing me to roll over onto my back. I looked up to see him scowling at me as I tried to catch my breath.

"Fuck you," I said through clenched teeth. I angrily spat at him from the floor and smiled when I saw it land on his face. He wiped his face with his left hand, looking furious and disgusted at the same time. As he looked down at me, I felt my blood run cold with fear. I didn't think it was possible to look as angry as he did at that moment.

He bent over and ferociously grabbed me by my neck, suspending me in the air as if I weighed nothing. I hung there helplessly clinging to his arm for support as my legs wildly kicked below me. He pulled me closer so our faces were only inches apart. I dangled there in his grasp, choking for air as my eyes rolled into the back of my head.

"You will learn your place, mortal," he growled. I could feel his hot breath on my face as he spoke.

My eyes began fluttering as I came closer to the sweet release of unconsciousness. Through half-closed eyes I watched Ronan scowl at me with so much hatred I wondered why he didn't just kill me now. When my legs stopped moving underneath me, I instantaneously felt as if I were flying. For a second I really thought he killed me, but I was quickly disappointed as my body slammed against the floor.

I was sliding backwards on the floor until my head collided with something hard, causing me to see stars. I looked to my side and saw that my head was resting at the foot of Ronan's chair. With trembling fingers I slowly reached behind my head and felt warm wetness. As I held my fingers in front of my face I saw that they were covered in blood. My arm fell to the floor as I became too weak to hold up its weight.

With my limbs sprawled out before him, I stared up at Ronan unable to move, and prayed that he was done torturing me.

"Why are you doing this to me?" I whispered as I watched him saunter over to my helpless body. I noticed him look down at my right hand which was covered in the blood from my head, and for a second I thought he look worried, but that look was gone before I could really think about it.

I saw his lips move, but I didn't hear what he was saying because I was already drifting into darkness.

When I opened my eyes I was staring at a ceiling with a familiar bluish-white light. I groaned as I realized that I was back in my cell. Why didn't he just kill me? What is it going to take for him to set me free from this hellhole?

I hissed in pain as I sat up and felt the outcome of Ronan's wrath. My wrist was swollen and covered in purple bruises. My neck felt sore and extremely tight, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. When I got up from the bed I saw blood on my pillow where my head had been resting. My hands touched the back of my head, becoming tangled in the crusty, blood-covered hair. As my fingers felt around my scalp, I winced as they brushed along a small, raised line. It didn't feel like stitches, but it definitely felt like the laceration had been closed.

I staggered to the bathroom and carefully stripped my clothes off. I stepped into the shower and leaned against the wall with my head propped against my arm. As I turned the water on I closed my eyes and let the warmth relieve my aching body. My head was stinging where I had been cut, but it felt nice to get the blood out of my hair. Standing there in the hot shower allowed me to think clearly, and fairly quickly I thought of a way to escape. The plan was definitely rushed and not well-planned, but I couldn't stay here any longer.

I jumped out of the shower and dressed more quickly than usual, my heart pounding in anticipation. I smiled as I walked out of the bathroom and saw the tray of food sitting by my cot. Immediately I went down to the floor, making myself look like I had fallen and moaned in pain. Right on cue, Nebula walked in and looked at me down on the floor apprehensively.

"What is wrong, Terran?" She asked seriously, kneeling down next to me.

"My heart… I think… having a heart attack," I said between gasps, grabbing at my chest. I tightly squeezed my eyes and yelled as if I was in horrible agony.

"Damn it," she said angrily before running out of the room, leaving the door wide open.

I looked up as she was running out and swiftly jumped to my feet. I ran to the door and glanced to the right and left, making sure it was clear for me to go. When I didn't see anyone I started sprinting down the hallway, running faster than I thought I was capable of. Along the left side of the hallway there were dozens of doors, some of which were open, and I glanced inside them as I ran by hoping to find a way out.

When I reached the middle of the hallway there was a larger door than the others, and I quickly stopped to look inside. To my amazement, it was filled with hundreds of smaller spacecrafts and there didn't appear to be anyone watching guard. I cautiously stepped through the door and glanced to each side. It was empty. I ran slightly hunched over, trying to stay as low as possible, and ran to the spacecraft which was positioned closest to the exit door. I quietly climbed up the spacecraft and pushed several buttons on the outside until the door lifted vertically into the air.

I slid inside the craft, pulling the door down with me until it made a mechanical hissing sound. The door closing must have activated the craft, because immediately all of the lights on the dashboard turned on. As the engine slowly started rumbling, I felt cold oxygen flow through the vents. _OK, so maybe this wouldn't be so hard after all._

To my right there was a lever with a red handle, and it looked like it was somehow related to the speed. I turned the steering wheel, pointing it towards the large, exit door, and gently pushed on the red stick. I laughed with joy when I actually started moving forward. My happiness was short lived as I heard angry feminine shouting behind me. I turned to see Nebula running towards my ship with inhuman speed.

Suddenly panicking, I clumsily pushed the lever upwards which caused my ship to jolt forward with unexpected speed. I started screaming as my ship quickly advanced towards the door which still remained closed. Just as I thought I was going to crash, the wide metal door lifted up and I was able to pass through.

I looked out my windshield, completely amazed at what I saw. Whatever galaxy we were in, it was absolutely gorgeous. Everywhere I looked I could see stars, moons, and colorful planets. I couldn't believe I was actually flying in outer space right now. I turned around to look at Ronan's ship and I couldn't help but shiver at the sight of it. It definitely was not the ship I had boarded when Nebula captured me, because if it was I would have peed my pants. We must have connected to this ship when I fell unconscious the first night.

His ship was huge and terrifying, as if it was built specifically to destroy and conquer. The wings of it were long and sort of resembled a strand of DNA, and they both constantly rotated in a spiral motion. In between the two wings was the main body of the ship, and in the front I recognized the large window I looked out of when Xandar was destroyed.

A loud beeping noise suddenly filled my ship, causing me to cover my ears with my hands. I looked around desperately trying to find where the noise was coming from, but the only thing I saw was a bright, red light flashing on the dashboard. As I leaned forward to get a closer look, my ship completely shut down. I started frantically hitting buttons, trying to turn everything back on, but nothing helped.

Without the engine, I knew I would run out of oxygen fast. I tried to keep my breathing slow and steady so I wouldn't use it all up at once, but I started to panic as my ship began to drift back towards Ronan's ship. I twisted on the steering wheel, willing it to go in any direction, but I had absolutely no control over my ship anymore. I felt like I was sitting in a car floating down a river, completely helpless with no control whatsoever.

As I gravitated closer to his ship, I could see Ronan standing in the window staring in my direction. I couldn't see his face, but judging from his body language he was furious. His posture was wide and he clasped his hammer with both of his hands. When my ship was about thirty feet from his, I could clearly see the rage behind his eyes. I was especially grateful at that moment for not being within his reach.

The tension between us was palpable as we both stared at each other from a distance. The look he gave me had me pinned to my seat shaking with apprehension. I would have laughed if my situation weren't so dire at the moment. This had been without a doubt the worst plan ever. I had no idea why I thought this would work. I saw Nebula walk up behind him and say something, and I watched his lips move in response.

Suddenly I saw his head snap up as he looked at something to the side of my ship. His mouth moved as if he was yelling something, and Nebula quickly ran off. I turned my head to see what he was staring at and I felt my stomach flip. There was a small meteoroid heading straight for my ship, and it was coming fast. As I made eye contact with Ronan again, I noticed his eyebrows were drawn together and his mouth was unusually relaxed instead of scowling. I didn't have time to figure out what that facial expression meant, because a second later my ship was struck.

It was cold.

I couldn't breathe.

And there was complete silence.

* * *

**Author's note: So if you haven't already noticed, I will be adding chapters fairly quickly! I don't like to keep people waiting... and honestly I can't wait to find out what happens between Ronan and Silvia ;) **


	5. Part I: Chapter 5

**_Chapter song: Honey by Torres_**

* * *

I drifted weightlessly among the stars, relishing in the feeling of absolute freedom. Out here I could go wherever my heart desired and become someone completely different. I no longer had to be afraid or weak. I discovered planets, named constellations, and even explored other galaxies. It was perfect.

I flew by a blue planet and quickly became fascinated with its beautiful color. I had seen that color before, and in the back of my mind I knew it reminded me of something, but I couldn't remember what. As I placed my foot down onto the planet, it sank into the ground, trapping me like quick sand. I tried to pull myself out but the harder I struggled, the deeper I sank, and eventually I was devoured by darkness.

I inhaled loudly as I woke up, still frightened by the nightmare I had just experienced. Slowly I opened my eyes and realized I was not in my cell. I quickly sat up in a large bed that was not mine, and noticed right away how comfortable this one was. It reminded me of my bed back home. It even had sheets and a comforter that felt like silk, but the frame of the bed reminded me of Ronan's throne, and the thought of that made me frown.

As I looked around the room, I couldn't help but notice how grand this room seemed in comparison to my old cell. The ceilings were probably fifteen feet high and there were elaborate carvings in the walls that reminded me of ancient Aztec. The room was dark like the rest of the ship, but there were several wall sconces that emitted the same bluish-white light as I had in my previous cell.

I warily stepped down from the bed, wondering why I wasn't in pain. I didn't feel sore anywhere on my body, which was weird considering I was hit by a meteoroid. I looked down at my body in confusion, looking for any signs of trauma or abuse, but there wasn't a single bruise or scratch on my body. I was even still wearing my jeans and tank top.

There were three doors in my room. Every wall had a door except for the wall of my bed. The door opposite my bed was the largest of the three, so I assumed that was the door that led into the hallway. I walked to the second door, which was located on the left side of the room, desperately hoping it would lead me to a shower. I pulled on it, but it seemed to be locked. I walked to the opposite side of the room and tried the other door, this time being successful.

I slowly opened the door and found myself very pleased with what I saw. Inside was a large bathroom, completely covered from floor to wall with dark slate tile. Everything in the room looked surprisingly modern and very similar to a human bathroom, except the appliances were made of a shiny metal not found on Earth. To my right was a slate tile shower, complete with a glass door and a waterfall showerhead. To my delight, there was an oversized, metal bathtub right next to it. It looked extremely complicated to use with all of its nozzles, but I was determined to figure it out.

After ten minutes of twisting on various nozzles, I finally figured out how to get the water to come out. I quickly began filling the metal tub up and stood there impatiently watching with excitement. I pressed down on another nozzle which produced a clear liquid that smelled similar to eucalyptus. I tried another and happily found it to smell like rosemary. As the tub started filling up with bubbles, the alluring aroma of eucalyptus and rosemary suffused the room, and I closed my eyes relishing in its scent. I stripped my clothes off and sank into the deep tub, unable to suppress the moan that escaped my lips.

The water felt heavenly on my skin as I dunked my head under water. The scented liquids had an oily base to them, but it didn't make my skin or hair feel greasy. Instead, it felt like the oils were cleansing and moisturizing my skin and hair at the same time. I had never felt anything like this before and it felt amazing. I rested my head back against the tub, closing my eyes and sighing contently, as I momentarily forgot about my problems.

"You're awake," I heard a familiar deep voice say. My eyes popped open in surprise at the sound of Ronan's voice and I immediately became self-conscious of the fact that I was naked. Fortunately, the tub was still overflowing with bubbles, so my naked body remained hidden from his sight.

"Get out," I shouted in embarrassment as I sank deeper into the bubbles, so only my head was poking out.

"No, this is _my_ ship," he muttered angrily, stalking over to me. "You would do well to remember that. Now rise and dress yourself. It is time we discuss your fate," he said looking down at me, his eyes roaming over the bubbles that concealed my body.

"I will get dressed when you leave," I said quietly, suddenly becoming nervous. I felt my stomach tighten at his words, wondering if he was finally going to kill me, and noticed my mouth had become dry with fear.

"You do not set the conditions here, Terran," he said in a low voice, his eyes burning into mine. We stared at each other for several seconds as I remained in the tub, unmoving. With his mouth turned down in irritation, he turned sideways still looking at me. "Do not keep me waiting," he warned as he strode out of the bathroom, roughly closing the door behind him.

I sighed in relief as I watched him walk away, becoming genuinely surprised that he didn't just pull me out of the tub. I sat there puzzled by his behavior, wondering what it could mean, but I honestly couldn't figure the man out. I stood up shakily from the anxiety that plagued my body and climbed out of the huge tub. I walked over to a cabinet full of towels and wrapped one of the silky sheets around my body. By the sink I found my tooth brush and paste, and I quickly began brushing my teeth, not wanting to keep Ronan waiting too long.

When I opened the bathroom door, I saw Ronan standing on the opposite side of my bed, unmoving as he watched me gingerly step out of the bathroom. I walked to the side of the bed closest to me and ran my fingers over the silky sheets, trying to appear unafraid. I looked up at him from across the bed and saw him frowning at me, almost like he was bothered by my casual demeanor.

"So… you wanted to talk," I said slowly, looking back down at the bed, still running my fingers back and forth along the soft fabric. The motion seemed to have a therapeutic effect on my nerves.

"No one has ever escaped from the Dark Aster before, especially not under my watch," he said, his voice reverberating around the room. I could feel his eyes watching me, and I shifted nervously on my feet.

"You impressed me, Terran," he said, his voice giving away nothing. I looked up at his words, shocked by what he said.

"Impressed," I said bewildered. I stared at him with my eyes narrowed in confusion, placing my hands on my hips.

"Indeed," he said raising his chin. "Your Terran body was able to endure the harsh extremities of space. Your recovery was uncertain, yet here you stand," he said, almost sounding proud.

"How long was I out for?" I asked surprised.

"Ten days," he said, his eyes closely watching my face.

"Why didn't you just let me die?" I asked, confused by his actions. This didn't make any sense. Why would he waste his time treating me when it would have been easier to just let me die out there?

"You have proven yourself useful. With proper training you will become a worthy asset to my army," he said, his eyes darkening as he gauged my reaction. I stood there with my mouth hanging open, shaking my head in morbid disbelief.

"What is the MATTER with you?" I asked, bringing my hands up to my head in a frustrated manner. I was genuinely questioning his sanity at the moment. His eyes widened with anger as I continued to speak.

"I haven't forgotten about you destroying an entire planet! You are fucking crazy if you thought I would go along with this. Putting me in a nice room is not going to make me OK with your psychopathic tendencies," I said angrily, motioning dramatically with my hands. By the time I stopped speaking, Ronan was scowling at me furiously.

"I saved your life and you dare refuse my offer?" he said, his voice growing louder as he spoke.

"I didn't ask to be saved - I was trying to escape you! I would rather have been that bastard's whore than your assassin!" I shouted bitterly, my eyes watering with anger.

"Is that so," he said in a dangerously low voice, his face turning deadly serious.

"Yes," I answered weakly, unsure where this was going. He slowly started walking around the bed, his eyes filled with malice as he glared at me.

"What are you doing?" I asked, my voice rising in panic as he reached the foot of the bed.

He remained silent as he continued stalking towards me, which made him even more frightening. He chillingly reminded me of a lion right before it attacks its prey. When he reached my side of the bed I panicked and jumped onto the bed, trying to cross over before he reached me.

As I reached the middle of the bed, I felt a strong hand wrap around my ankle and violently pull me backwards, forcing me to fall facedown into the mattress. I screamed as he pulled me backwards towards him, my hands pulled the sheets along with me as I desperately tried to escape him. As my legs fell over the edge of the bed I started to stand up, but as I did Ronan roughly bent me over the bed. He leaned over my back, pushing me down with one hand in between my shoulder blades, and forcefully spread my legs apart with his feet.

"Get off of me! What are you doing?!" I screamed angrily as I tried to reach behind my back to hit him. In an instant, he had my arms pinned behind my back with both of my wrists in his hand. His other hand wrapped itself in my hair and harshly turned my head to the side, pinning it to the bed.

"You would rather be a _whore_," he growled into my ear, causing goose bumps to appear on my neck. "I will grant you your request," he said darkly as he let go of my hair and slid his hand down to my waist.

"No! Stop it!" I cried out desperately, suddenly becoming terrified. I began screaming with fear as I felt his fingers pull on my jeans, causing them to rip down the middle.

He let my arms go so he could use both of his hands to pull my shredded jeans off, allowing me the opportunity to crawl across the bed. As I stood on the opposite side of the bed wearing only my tank top and thong, he casually threw my jeans off to the side, and stared at me menacingly. I turned and ran to the door behind me, pulling desperately on it as I cried, but it was locked just as before.

When I turned around Ronan was already on my side of the room, his eyes dark with determination as he walked towards me. There was nowhere for me to go as he trapped me in the corner, and I began crying with fear as my back hit the wall. I held up my hands in front of me, trying to keep him away, but he easily grabbed them and pinned them at my sides.

"You defy me at every opportunity, yet you always end up crying pathetically," he said mockingly as he looked down at me.

"Fuck you!" I shouted before I could stop myself. My eyes were overflowing with tears as I struggled desperately against his grip.

"Perhaps breaking your pride will make you more compliant," he said, his voice rough with anger.

He picked me up by my upper arms and sent me flying in the air with no effort at all. I roughly landed in the middle of the bed on my back, and before I could sit up Ronan had my arms pinned above my head, with both wrists in one hand. His armor felt hard and cold against my legs as he spread my legs open with his knees. His eyes burned into mine as he held his face only inches above mine.

"Wait! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it," I cried out, looking at him pleadingly. "Please don't do this! I'll do anything," I said as I sobbed uncontrollably.

"I warned you that your actions will have consequences," he growled as he ripped my tank top off of me as if it were made of paper.

"Nooo! Please!" I screamed hysterically, feeling as if my heart were about to explode.

I struggled madly underneath him, trying to twist my body away from him, but his hand and knees had me pinned to the bed. He smirked down at me as he watched me uselessly struggle below him, seeming to enjoy my discomfort. As I felt his hand reach behind my back to unclasp my bra, I started shaking my head and kicking my feet as I cried below him. This couldn't be happening to me.

"Ronan, please! I can't do this! I've never done this before," I begged, my voice hoarse from screaming. His head snapped up at my words, looking at me like he didn't understand me.

"Never done _what_ before?" He growled, yanking my hair back so I was forced to look up at him.

"_This!_" I cried desperately. "I've never even been naked in front of a man," I said closing my eyes with shame as his stare suddenly became intense.

"You've never lain with a Terran before," he said quietly to himself as if he couldn't believe it.

He looked down at me with a mixture of disbelief and hesitation as I continued to cry with fear, and quickly lifted himself off of me, letting go of my wrists as if they burned him. I quickly pulled the sheets over my half-naked body and sat up staring at him warily as he stood by the bed with his back turned to me. After a few seconds he turned halfway around and glanced at me, and I couldn't help but be surprised at what I saw. Regret.

Without saying a word, he walked out of the room and slowly closed the door behind him.

I sat there in disbelief at what just happened. He actually stopped when I told him I was a virgin. He could easily have raped me, but he chose not to. Did that mean he wasn't a complete monster? Why would he care if I was a virgin anyways? I didn't actually expect him to stop when I told him that.

Regardless of the reason, I was beyond relieved.

I lied there in bed for hours replaying the traumatic event in my mind, until Nebula briskly walked in and placed a tray on my nightstand along with a new change of clothes. I sat up and examined the new clothes, surprised to find several pairs of panties in the pile. They were made of a soft, satin-like material and they actually looked comfortable. I felt my face flush as I looked up and realized Nebula was watching me with an amused look on her face.

"I don't know why Ronan is keeping you alive, but you do keep things interesting around here," she said sarcastically as she walked around the room.

"I just want to go home," I said sadly as I tucked the bed sheets under my armpits.

"You should be grateful. Ronan was in here every day checking on you after that meteoroid. He's obviously intrigued by you," she said sounding annoyed. "I've never seen him take interest in anyone before," she said bitterly as she looked at me from across the room.

"Well, he almost raped me today, so I don't want his interest," I said angrily as I rubbed my sore wrists.

Nebula looked at me, her eyes momentarily widening in surprise at what I told her, and finally settled into a look of understanding.

"He's not used to someone challenging him - no one else is stupid enough," she said sarcastically as she walked back over to the bed. "You really must get under his skin," she said stopping in front of me, looking at me curiously.

"Now eat, and take the pill. It will help," she said as she walked out.

I stared at the door as she closed it, reflecting on what she just said. So what if he wasn't used to people standing up to him? That didn't give him the right to hurt them. That just seems like a horrible excuse to inflict pain on others. Still, he didn't actually go through with raping me, and the thought of that left me feeling confused and curious.

I looked over at the food on the tray and saw a delicious looking soup that made my stomach growl in response. There was also the familiar sour-dough bread and a fruit that looked like a giant blueberry. I quickly scarfed down the food, not realizing how hungry I was, and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.

I glanced at the pill on the tray, wondering if I should take it or not, because I wasn't sure if I was ready to ignore what happened earlier. The pill would make me feel like everything was OK, when in fact, everything was complete shit. I lied back down on the bed and closed my eyes, hoping to fall asleep fairly quickly.

After hours of tossing and turning in bed, my mind filled with images of Ronan ripping my clothes off, I gave in and decided to take the pill. Within ten minutes I was gratefully lost in la-la land, completely oblivious to the troubles around me. I stumbled out of bed and pulled out the clothes Nebula had brought me earlier, laughing at how futuristic they appeared. There was a black, one-piece suit that was made out of some leather-type material and it zipped up the back. There were also two more shirts and two pairs of pants made out of the same material, and everything was black. Talk about drab.

I pulled out one of the satin panties and tried it on, only to find that it covered half my ass, but I think it was meant to be like that. I walked around the room in only my bra and panties, tracing my fingers along the elaborate wall carvings. It looked like the carvings were moving, and I quickly became entranced by the sight. I only looked away when I noticed the door to my left slowly open up.

I turned towards the door and was unsurprised to see Ronan step through. As he came in, he stopped when he saw me standing there in only my bra and panties, and looked questioningly at me. My gaze slowly drifted downwards to examine my body and I realized I had completely forgotten that I was undressed. I lazily walked over to the bed, willing myself to move faster, but my legs seemed unable to move at a quicker pace. Damn, fucking pill.

When I finally reached the bed, I sat down and pulled the sheets over me, not even fully covering myself. I stared groggily at Ronan as he walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed next to me.

"You shouldn't be here," I slurred, leaning back against the headboard.

"I wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier," he said looking over at me, his eyes narrowing as he took in my inebriated state. "But clearly _now_ is not the time for this discussion," he grumbled irritably and looked towards the door.

"Why didn't you… do it?" I asked slowly, forcing the words out of my mouth. He glanced sideways at me with his mouth drawn tight as if he was angered by my question.

"Despite what you think, I am not evil. It was never my intention to go through with it," he said as he looked away.

'You scared me," I whispered, examining his profile. He looked awfully sullen at the moment.

"That was the point," he answered seriously, staring back at me. "The life of a whore is not one you want, I can assure you of that. You would not last a day, Terran," he uttered quietly as his eyes roamed my face.

I couldn't help but notice how pretty his eyes looked right then. When he wasn't angry, they appeared to be a much brighter purple, like shining amethysts.

"You're...kind of...beautiful," I mumbled as my eyes started to drift closed.

He stood up and leaned over me, pulling the comforter over my body.

"Sleep well, Silvia," he said, his deep voice flowing through my body.

I felt a hand slowly stroke my cheek as I drifted away into peaceful slumber.

It was a shame I would not remember this tomorrow morning.


	6. Part I: Chapter 6

**_Chapter song: Swelling by Sarah Jaffe_**

* * *

When I woke up the next morning, I was met with Nebula standing over me staring at me like I was some strange creature who both intrigued and disgusted her. I stared back at her with a similar look on my face, blinking lazily as I became accustomed to the light. I sat up yawning and scratched my head, which made Nebula's face scrunch up even more in distaste.

"Is there a reason why you're here?" I asked, becoming increasingly annoyed by the looks she was giving me.

"Ronan requires your presence," she said through pursed lips as she watched me rub my eyes.

"Well you can tell him I don't want to see him," I said bitterly as I crossed my arms. It was way too early in the morning to deal with Ronan right now. Plus, I was still pissed off by what he did to me yesterday.

"I am not a messenger, Terran. You have five minutes," she said loudly as she stood over me. She honestly looked like she was going to hurt me if I didn't comply.

I angrily threw back the sheets, glaring at Nebula while doing so, and grabbed the one-piece suit. I also noticed a new pair of black boots that appeared to be my size. I grabbed those too and continued storming into the bathroom. After brushing my teeth and getting dressed, I was ready in exactly five minutes as instructed. When I stepped out of the bathroom, I saw her standing by the large door waiting for me, looking annoyed as always. She opened the door and walked into the hallway without saying a word.

I had to jog to keep up with her as she walked unreasonably fast through the complex hallways. Finally we stopped when we reached a large, heavy-looking door. As I stood there slightly out of breath from jogging, Nebula typed something into the control pad which caused the door to slide open, and proceeded to push me inside. I turned around to say something cheeky to her, but the door was already closing.

I turned around to see a large dining table in front of me, brimming with plates of delicious-looking food. My stomach growled hungrily as I eyed a tray of luscious fruit and pastries. I subconsciously licked my lips as I walked towards the table, not even bothering to look around the room.

I eagerly picked up a plump fruit that looked like a plum and felt my mouth water in response. As I bit into the fruit, I felt its juice run down my chin and I groaned in pleasure at the delectable flavor. When I was done I quickly picked up an oval pastry that was drizzled with something sweet. Just as my teeth bit into the pastry, I happily discovered it was filled with a cream that tasted like chocolate.

"Oh my god," I whispered as I closed my eyes, savoring the heavenly familiar taste. I started slowly licking the sweet, sticky glaze off my fingers.

"Do you always eat like this?" Ronan asked loudly, sounding slightly annoyed. I immediately started choking on the pastry at the sound of his voice, completely caught off guard.

I looked up to find Ronan sitting at the head of the table, leaning back in his chair with his hands tightly gripping the arms. His eyes burned with something I did not recognize, and his mouth was slightly turned down as he watched me. He looked frustrated, but I had no idea what I had done to make him that way.

"I - I didn't know you were already here," I said as I cleared my throat and sat down on the opposite side of the table. I stared at the food now suddenly feeling disappointed.

"You may continue," he said authoritatively from across the table.

"I'm full," I said frowning at him. Truthfully, I was nowhere near full and the food in front of me was begging me to devour it. I stared longingly at the tray of pastries sitting before me and I swallowed as my mouth began salivating. The action did not go unnoticed by Ronan.

"Eat the food," he said, starting to become irritated. He leaned forward in his chair, his eyes becoming heavy with impatience.

Reluctantly, I started picking food from the other trays and placing them on the empty plate in front of me. Soon my plate was full of pastries, fruits, and a few other foods I wasn't quite familiar with but they looked tasty. Before I could even enjoy the food, I began thinking about yesterday, and my appetite quickly diminished. I sat there staring at my plate scowling and picking at the food. I could feel Ronan's eyes on me the entire time.

"Your childish sulking is testing my patience," he said angrily after a few minutes of silence.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I was just thinking about yesterday - you know when you almost raped me. How rude of me," I said harshly, my voice dripping with sarcasm. I stared at him defiantly as his eyes widened at my outburst. I could see his nostrils flaring with anger as he sat there staring at me.

"I never should have resorted to such _primitive_ methods," he said bitterly as he looked down at the table. "And for that I apologize," he said resentfully, his gaze drifting back to my face. Obviously he wasn't used to apologizing, because he honestly sucked at it.

I couldn't help but stare at him as I became lost for words. His apology was awful but it was also completely unexpected, and I wondered why he even bothered. He's supposed to be a monster. Monsters don't apologize when they hurt people – they devour them without a second thought. Clearly there was an ulterior motive behind his words, and I was not going to let my guard down.

"You are sorry," I scoffed disbelievingly as I continued to stare at him with doubt. My head slightly tilted to the side in disbelief and curiosity as I looked at the man before me. I was becoming utterly confused by his contradictory actions.

"I will not repeat myself, Terran. This topic is closed for discussion," he said as his brow deepened and his mouth turned down in a scowl.

"But you," I started to say.

"I said ENOUGH," he roared from across the table, slamming his fist down.

His unexpected explosion of fury startled me so badly I dropped my fork onto the floor and jumped back in my seat, staring at him with wide, surprised eyes. I continued to sit there staring at him with my mouth drawn tight, not sure what he was going to do next. Only when he removed his fist from the table was I able to relax, and only then did I notice I had been holding my breath. I took a deep breath and slowly I began eating again, carefully avoiding his gaze as I did so. After ten minutes of tense, awkward silence, I timidly looked up at Ronan and dared to ask him a question.

"Ronan," I said questioningly as my fingers nervously picked at the pastry on my plate.

"Go on," he said slowly, his mouth turning down into a frown.

"Why did you hate the Xandarians so much?" I asked, looking back down at my plate. I didn't want him to think I was trying to start another fight, but I felt like I deserved to know why he destroyed an entire planet.

"The Xandarians and my people, the Kree, were at war for one-thousand years," he said as he leaned back in his chair. The serious tone of his voice caused me to look up at him as I became genuinely intrigued, and I patiently waited for him to continue.

"They murdered my father. They slaughtered my people. They assumed themselves and their paltry gods superior, and tried to hide their murderous acts behind a wretched peace treaty," he said, his face contorted as if the thought repulsed him.

"However, my government and my people do not forgive so easily. Their culture was an abomination to the galaxy, but at last we are cured of the Xandarian plague," he said triumphantly as his eyes glowed with pride.

"Oh," I said after he was finished. After hearing his explanation I really didn't know what else to say. His motives for destroying Xandar were valid and I could understand his desire for vengeance. It still wasn't right what he did, but I could now see why he did it. I continued sitting there at the table, quietly picking at my pastry while Ronan watched me.

"So… are you going to let me go now?" I asked hopefully, although I was pretty sure I knew the answer.

"No, you are my prisoner," he said nonchalantly as his eyes closely regarded my face.

"_Why_?" I asked with exasperation. "I haven't done anything!" I exclaimed.

"You are guilty of stealing and destroying Kree military property," he answered seriously. His baritone voice filled the room as he spoke, causing me to slightly tremble with fear.

"You're just finding a reason to keep me here," I retorted as I stood up and leaned forward on the table with my hands. From this position I was finally able to look down at Ronan and it felt invigorating to be the one looking down instead of always looking up. Ronan's eyes turned dark as he sensed my newly founded confidence.

"As the Kree Empire's Supreme Accuser, I cannot let your actions go unpunished," he said as he raised himself up, silently reminding me that he could easily squash me. "You will serve your time as my attendant. Your training begins today. Outside, you will find Nebula waiting for you," he said looking down at me from across the table.

"No," I said shaking my head. "This is bullshit! I'm not going," I yelled angrily as I stomped towards the door. Within seconds I felt a hand roughly turn me around and push me against the wall. Ronan's right hand tightly held my jaw and tilted my head backwards so I was looking up at him.

"If you do not go, you will regret it. That is a promise," he threatened while he tightened his grip.

"What, are you going to rip my clothes off again?" I shouted as tears rolled down my cheeks. I really resented myself for always crying when I'm angry.

"You are naïve if you believe that is the worst thing I can do to you," he said with a sneer. I felt one of his fingers on the left side of my face slowly move upwards. As I stood there looking up at him, I noticed he was closely watching a tear roll down my face, and his finger gently wiped it away. The tender action brought back the memory of his hand brushing against my cheek last night before I fell asleep.

"Hey, wait," I muttered abruptly, causing him to look down at me curiously. "You...you were in my room last night... I remember your hand on my cheek! Quit coming in my room when I'm fucked up," I said indignantly as I pushed his hand away. He straightened himself up and looked down at me with his chin held high.

"Your imagination fills your head with absurd fantasies," he smugly replied. "Now _go_. Nebula is ready to begin your training," he said more forcefully. His fists tightened at his sides when I remained standing there staring at him defiantly with my hands on my hips. As he took a step forward, I caved and held up my hands in surrender.

"Fine, I'll go," I said, not even bothering to hide my irritation. I casually stepped around his body without even glancing at him and continued towards the door. My body grew hot as I felt his eyes burning into my back as I walked away.

When the doors closed behind me, I wiped my eyes with the back of my hands and silently cursed myself for the mess I had created. If I had never stolen that ship I would be free and on my way home right now. No, I actually didn't believe that at all. Ronan still would have found a reason to keep me here, but I wasn't entirely sure why he wanted me around anyways. I've been nothing but a problem for him since I arrived, so why hasn't he killed me? Why is he wiping my tears and stroking my face? I know I didn't imagine that. He was acting like he cared for me, but that couldn't possibly be true.

Just then Nebula appeared from around the corner, swinging her hips and smirking as she swaggered towards me. She didn't stop as she walked by me, so I took that as my cue to follow her. I shuffled along behind her as she led me through the dark hallway, only stopping when she stopped. We stood in front of a glass door that looked into a room which was lined with padding on the floors and walls. It reminded me of my childhood days when I used to take gymnastics lessons. She led me inside and stopped in the middle of the room.

"Shouldn't I be learning how to like answer the phone or clean laundry? He said I was going to be his attendant," I said unsurely as I looked around the room. Nebula stared at me as if I was speaking a foreign language.

"Ronan doesn't need a maid – he needs soldiers," she said while slowly circling around me. "You will first be trained in hand-to-hand combat and then we will move on to weapons," she said sounding bored.

"I'm not much of a fighter," I said quietly, not liking the way she was circling me.

"We'll see," she said sarcastically. As she finished speaking I saw her move, and then suddenly I was flat on my back looking up at the ceiling.

"What the fuck," I gasped as I slowly stood up rubbing my back.

"You must toughen up if you want to survive. You're not on Terra anymore," she said smugly as she began circling me again. I remained still as I tried to anticipate her next move.

I heard her before I actually saw her move. I quickly ducked down to the floor as I felt her leg fly above my head, and made the mistake of standing up too quickly as her other leg kicked me right in the stomach. I doubled over, grabbing my stomach as I felt a wave of nausea, and glared at Nebula who was giving me a taunting smile. I straightened back up and felt myself breathing heavier from the rage that was building inside me. Again, she began slowly circling me. However, before she could attack me first I decided to make the first move.

I dove for her waist and brought her down to the ground with me. We began rolling around fighting for dominance, until finally Nebula ended up on top with her knees pinning my arms to the ground.

"You would be dead right now if this were a real fight. What are you going to do? THINK, Terran," she said angrily as she slapped me across the face.

I lifted my legs up in the air and wrapped them around her neck, pulling her backwards off of me. With my arms free I was able to stand up and get into a defensive position. Nebula walked towards me smiling as she examined my body language.

"Turn your body more to the side. The less surface area you have exposed, the less likely you will get hit," she said jeeringly.

I promptly turned my body slightly and placed my feet shoulder-width apart, with my left foot in front and my right foot turned sideways. Nebula positioned my fists so that my left hand was in front of my chin and my right hand was pulled back in front of my right shoulder. She then began showing me how to throw punches, jabs, and kicks using my entire body. After almost two hours of practicing on the wall pads I was sweating and breathing heavily.

"You've learned the motions. Now try to hit me," she said seriously, but her eyes twinkled with amusement. She walked to the center of the room and stood there with her arms at her sides, waiting for me to come at her.

As I approached her she remained standing there with her arms at her sides, not even attempting to get into a defensive position. It was actually kind of insulting how unthreatened she was by my presence. I quickly threw my right fist towards her face, but only met air. She was standing at my side smiling.

"You flinch too much before you move. You need to be unpredictable," she said constructively as I turned to face her.

I tried twenty more times to hit her, but every time I never actually made contact with her. Apparently I was giving myself away before I even made a move. Thirty minutes later I was feeling extremely frustrated and panting with exhaustion. Nebula was also becoming irritated because I still hadn't achieved a single blow.

"You're getting slow," she said as she continued circling me like a shark. I stood there and wiped the sweat off my brow while I watched her circle around me. I put my hands on my knees and leaned over as I became suddenly dizzy.

"Pathetic," she spat, stopping in front of me.

I lunged forward and swung my left fist forward to jab her in the face, which she immediately blocked. I followed up with an uppercut with my right fist, which she also managed to block. It wasn't fair how fast she was.

"You are-," she started to say, but I miraculously cut her short.

Just as she began circling me again, I unexpectedly landed a sidekick to her face, which caused her to stumble backwards a little bit. I started laughing proudly as I watched her look at me in shock. I fell down to the floor feeling completely drained and closed my eyes as I tried to catch my breath.

"It's about time," she said sarcastically as she stood over me. "That's enough for today," she said roughly pulling me up by my arm. I winced at her tight grip but didn't argue because I was too exhausted to care. She continued holding onto my arm until we reached my room five minutes later.

When I entered my room my nose was filled with the mouthwatering scent of steak. I walked over to the tray on my nightstand and lifted the lid to find a thick, juicy piece of dark meat. There was also a green vegetable that looked like okra and some kind of succotash that consisted of unfamiliar vegetables and fruits. I swiftly sat down on my bed and began eating the hearty meal. The meat obviously wasn't beef, but it was surprisingly tender and tasted amazing. The green vegetable tasted sweet and very similar to corn. The succotash was unexpectedly tangy and reminded me of mango salad.

I stood up smiling, fully satisfied from the meal I had just eaten, and contentedly rubbed my stomach. I started walking to the bathroom and began stripping my clothes off as I went, leaving a trail of garments behind me. I stepped into the tile shower and turned on the waterfall showerhead, closing my eyes as a wall of water came flowing down on my face.

Being Ronan's prisoner honestly wasn't the worst thing that could happen to me; I ate delicious food, I had a soft bed, and my bathroom was basically a mini-spa. I missed my family and friends though, and I wondered if I would ever see them again. I also missed things I never thought I would miss such as internet, television, and music. I smiled as I remembered the fact that I could create music anytime I wanted to. I closed my eyes and began singing one of my favorite songs, enjoying the way my voice echoed in the shower. I was not a good singer by any means, but showers always made me sound somewhat decent, and there was no one around so I didn't care.

_You only know what I want you to  
I know everything you don't want me to  
Oh your mouth is poison, your mouth is wine  
You think your dreams are the same as mine  
Oh I don't love you but I always will  
Oh I don't love you but I always will  
Oh I don't love you but I always will  
I always will  
I wish you'd hold me when I turn my back  
The less I give the more I get back  
Oh your hands can heal, your hands can bruise  
I don't have a choice but I'd still choose you_

I opened my eyes when I was done and smiled sadly to myself. I couldn't hold back the tears any longer as memories of home filled my mind. I quietly cried in the shower while I finished washing off the sweat and grime from earlier today. Never in my life had I ever been so exhausted before. It wasn't just the fact that I was physically tired, but my mind and soul felt drained as well. I felt like I was nearing a breaking point and soon I would fall off the edge. It took every ounce of power inside of me to hold myself together. I tiredly stepped out of the shower, wrapped myself in one of the silky towels, and began brushing my teeth at the sink.

I walked out of the bathroom with my eyes half-closed, looking down at the floor. I was so overwhelmingly tired I couldn't wait to just collapse on the fluffy mattress. When I was five feet from my bed I saw a large, black boot which made my heart immediately start pounding. My gaze drifted upwards to find Ronan sitting on the edge of my bed, silently watching me as he stared at me inquisitively. My hands instinctively tightened their grip around my towel, but I continued staggering towards him.

I stopped when I stood right in front of him, placing myself in between his parted knees, and stared at him for the first time at eye level. I was so tired of feeling afraid and at the moment I was on the brink of a mental breakdown, so I really just wanted to be left alone. I could feel the lump in my throat growing as I suppressed the sobs that begged to escape me.

"Whatever you're going to do, just do it," I said quietly with half-closed eyes. I felt my eyes betray me as they filled with tears. Would I ever stop crying?

"I haven't come to hurt you if _that_ is what you're implying," he said irritably as his brow furrowed.

"Then why are you here?" I asked, closing my eyes as my voice slightly cracked. As I felt my bottom lip begin to tremble, I started to turn away, but Ronan prevented me by grabbing my upper arms.

"What is wrong?" he asked seriously as he held me there. At this point I couldn't speak so I remained standing there softly shaking my head.

"Silvia," he warned, gently shaking me. The sound of my name on his lips was both alluring and saddening, but I had no idea why. I shook slightly as tears began escaping from beneath my closed lids.

"_Tell me_," he said assertively, his voice growing rough with impatience. When I opened my eyes I saw him staring at me, but he didn't look angry like I thought he would. He looked confused and frustrated, and that is what caused me to lose all control.

"I'm so _tired_," I said in a high, strained voice. I began crying and hid my face in my hands. "My life isn't supposed to be like this. I was about to graduate from university with honors. I was supposed to get married and have kids," I said emotionally. "I miss my family and friends. I'm so _alone_ here," I cried as my body became racked with sobs.

I didn't care if I appeared weak in front of him because he'd already seen me at my worst. There was nothing else he could do or say to me to make me feel any worse than I did at this moment. I continued standing there in front of him crying until I eventually calmed down enough to uncover my face. I looked down at the floor rubbing my eyes and nose, feeling embarrassed now over my emotional scene. I slowly looked up at him and found him staring intensely at me, like he wanted to say something but couldn't. His mouth was slightly parted and his eyes were filled with something I couldn't place. Perhaps pity or shame, maybe even disgust, but I didn't quite know.

He stood up and turned around, pulling the sheets and comforter down on the bed. He then turned around to face me again and guided me into the bed without saying a word. I eagerly climbed into the bed looking forward to the escape sleep would offer me. As I pulled the comforter over my body, I reached underneath the sheets and pulled my towel off of me. I didn't care if he knew I was naked. I preferred sleeping this way and I didn't give a damn what he thought. I saw him smirk as he sat back down on the edge of the bed next to me, and I suddenly remembered he never answered my question.

"Ronan, why are you here?" I asked quietly as I looked up at him. He stared at me for a few seconds until his hand reached towards my face and I felt him pull a strand of hair away from my eyes. His expression was serious, but detached, as his mind was obviously transfixed on something else.

"Ronan…" I whispered, my heart fluttering. Why was he acting like this? I thought he hated me – he always acted like he did. This was the same man who broke my finger, knocked me unconscious, and made me his prisoner.

"I heard you in the shower," he said, suddenly looking away. "I thought something was wrong," he muttered, and I instantly felt my face turn red with embarrassment. _That bad, huh?_ I thought as I cringed slightly. I've never let anyone listen to me sing before, and his response was exactly the reason why.

"Did you compose it?" he asked somberly as he stared straight ahead.

I sat there waiting for him to look at me again, but his eyes remained locked on the wall in front of him as if he were lost in thought. He looked like he was thinking about something that troubled him, and I suddenly had the urge to hold his hand. Wait, why would I want to do that? Of course, I was not going to do that because I knew it would be crazy. I shouldn't even be thinking about him like that anyways – he was my captor and I was his prisoner. My feelings of loneliness and isolation were clearly clouding my judgment…right? I mean, there was no way I could have any sort of feelings for the man – not after everything he has put me through…right?

I stared at him with wide eyes, mortified by the thoughts I was having.

As he turned to look at me, his facial expression transformed from calm to alarmingly confused, with his eyebrows drawn together as he studied my face. I realized I must have looked absolutely crazy staring at him with my eyes wide and my mouth hanging open. I quickly closed my eyes and relaxed my face as I pulled myself together.

"No, I didn't compose it," I said, quickly remembering that he asked me a question. He continued to stare at me skeptically while I fiddled with the bed sheets. I dramatically yawned, hoping he would take the hint and leave me alone before I did anything I would regret. My heart fluttered in my chest as he stood up and frowned down at me, looking like he was trying to figure out what just happened.

"Goodnight," I said, overly cheerful. At that moment I really wanted to slap myself across the face for being such an idiot. His eyes narrowed at me questioningly before he silently turned and strode out of the room.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

What are you doing, Silvia?

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**As promised, I have updated only 6 days later! The reviews definitely motivated me, so keep them coming! :)**

**Only 11 days into the story and I already have 6 chapters. I think I'm a little obsessed.**

**Things between Ronan and Silvia are becoming complicated. What's going to happen? ;)**

**BTW - the song Silvia was singing is called "Poison and Wine" by The Civil Wars - check it out!**


	7. Part I: Chapter 7

_**Chapter song: Serpents by Sharon Van Etten**_

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There had to be something terribly wrong with me, and I began seriously worrying about my state of mind. The harder I tried not to think about Ronan, the more I did. I imagined holding his hand, and one thought led to another. Soon, I was wondering what he looked like underneath his armor and how his pouty, sculpted lips would feel against mine. It was like I was trapped in a speeding car and no matter how hard I pushed on the break, it remained on its collision course, bound to burn.

I blamed it on my hormones. Why else would I unexpectedly start to think of Ronan this way? Sure, he's the epitome of masculinity, probably stronger than Superman, and his voice… OK, snap out of it.

This man has repeatedly tortured me, almost raped me, and is keeping me here against my will. I should feel nothing but hatred for him, but I didn't and that's what scared me the most. Despite all of the terrible things he has done, he has also shown me unexpected generosity by treating my wounds, feeding me gourmet meals, and housing me in a luxury suite. Plus, he didn't rape me when I told him I was a virgin and he genuinely seemed concerned about me tonight. These were not the acts of an evil man and it made me curious to know what motivated his behavior. Could it be possible that he cares for me? The thought made my heart race and my stomach flutter with excitement, but I didn't know why.

I didn't sleep very well that night.

I was already awake and dressed when Nebula walked into my room the next morning. I sat on the edge of the bed, vacantly staring at the floor as thoughts consumed my mind. I was suddenly pulled out of my daydream when I felt Nebula's rough hand push my shoulder back, causing me to almost fall off of the bed.

"I said LET'S GO," she shouted, her voice sounding strangely mechanical. She abruptly turned around and began marching out of the room without waiting for me. I slowly stood up and began following her, feeling slightly delirious as I did so. My lack of sleep was already making me feel like a zombie.

"What about breakfast?" I said tiredly as I jogged behind her. She didn't answer me of course, which only irritated me even further. If I didn't eat breakfast how the hell was I supposed to survive training today?

We entered the training room and immediately Nebula ordered me to practice my moves on the wall pads. I sluggishly walked over to the wall and began throwing punches and kicks, but I lacked the vigor I had yesterday so my hits were weak. Nebula seemed to notice this right away and angrily walked over to me.

"What the hell is this? You aren't even trying," she said sharply as she glared at me.

"Well, maybe if I had some food…" I grumbled, stopping to face her.

She didn't say a word as she pushed me backwards against the wall with her forearm against my neck, forcing me to stand on my tiptoes. I stood there trying to pull her arm away from my neck, but she was too strong.

"Ronan might tolerate this type of behavior, but I will not. I am not afraid to hurt you Terran, so don't give me a reason to," she said coldly as she let me go.

I took a deep breath and stumbled forward as the balls of my feet made contact with the floor. As she walked away from me I massaged my neck, which was surely going to be bruised in a few hours. I angrily glared at Nebula but didn't say anything; instead, I took out my frustration on the wall pad in front of me and began furiously striking it, causing Nebula to chuckle behind me. For the next two hours she had me repeatedly hit the wall pad until my strikes were near-perfect. My knuckles, elbows, and feet were severely aching and burning after only a few minutes, but I was too scared of Nebula to stop.

The rest of the day proceeded much like it had yesterday, only today Nebula began teaching me submission and grappling techniques. Once again I was left feeling slow and stupid as Nebula maneuvered herself out of every hold I had on her. After three hours of wrestling I was able to pin her down ten times, but even then it only lasted for a few seconds. As she twisted herself out of my last choke hold, I rolled over onto my back panting with exhaustion. Nebula stood over me pursing her lips in disappointment.

"It's time for a break," she said grudgingly as she lifted me up. She led me through the hall until we reached a familiar door. "I'll be back in an hour. Do not be late," she said as she pushed me inside and closed the door behind me.

It was the same room I ate breakfast in with Ronan yesterday. However, instead of breakfast foods, the table was filled with an assortment of meats, cheeses, and breads. I also spotted a few trays of fruit which I immediately began walking over to. I glanced at the head of the table, remembering how last time Ronan surprised me, but his chair was empty today. I found myself strangely disappointed by his absence. I walked around the table and began eating directly from the large platters of food, happily humming as I did so. My lips were wrapped around a plump peach-like fruit when I heard slow, heavy footsteps behind me. I remained facing forward as I finished biting into the syrupy fruit, which produced an embarrassing slurping sound as the juice filled my mouth.

"This is considered a fine delicacy on my planet," he said slowly over my head. I could feel my heart hammering away inside my chest.

In the corner of my eye I saw his hand reach past my side, slightly brushing my arm as he grabbed an identical fruit from the tray. I flinched from the unexpected contact which caused my back to bump into his midriff, and I felt my body grow hot with embarrassment. I quietly cleared my throat as I stepped away from him and began walking around to the opposite side of the table, carefully avoiding eye contact as I did so. I stood on the opposite side of the table and casually poured myself a drink, filling my goblet to the brim with a deep, purple liquid. My hands were shaking with nervousness as I placed the pitcher back down onto the table, completely aware of Ronan's unwavering and intimidating watchfulness.

I brought the goblet up to my lips and slowly began sipping on the rich liquid, surprised to find that it tasted like wine. I closed my eyes and savored the familiar warm feeling in my throat as I swallowed the tangy liquid. As I stood there eagerly drinking the rich, hot wine, I saw Ronan walking around the table in the corner of my eye. I didn't care though. I just wanted to get drunk and forget that I imagined kissing him.

"That is enough," he said in an authoritative tone. By then my goblet was almost empty, and my face felt considerably hotter. I heard him approaching me from the side, and I quickly began walking away from him finishing the remainder of my drink.

I winced at the burning sensation in my chest and set my empty goblet down on the table with more force than I meant to. I closed my eyes at the sound of Ronan angrily approaching me from behind. So far I had been successful at avoiding eye contact with him and I was grateful because I didn't trust myself at the moment. Thinking about touching him made me nervous and excited, but I knew it was wrong. It _had_ to be wrong.

Suddenly, I felt his large hand grip my shoulder as he quickly spun me around to face him, and my hands naturally began pushing him away as I stepped backwards. I felt my back press against the table as Ronan continued to advance towards me. I didn't have anywhere to go except under the table, so I quickly dropped to my knees to crawl away. Before my palms even touched the floor, I felt his hand wrap itself in my hair and pull me upwards, causing me to yelp in pain. His hand reached behind me and a second later I heard the sound of trays crashing onto the floor. He roughly lifted me onto the table and placed himself in between my legs which dangled off the edge of the table. I sat there in front of him, too afraid to open my eyes.

"Get away from me," I whined with my eyes tightly shut.

"I've had enough of your impudence," he growled harshly from above me. "Look at me," he demanded in a dangerously quiet voice.

I shook my head with my eyes still closed and prayed that he would just leave me alone. I heard him growl as he grabbed me by my hair once again and roughly pulled my head backwards. Before I could stop myself, my eyes slowly opened up and right away I was met with Ronan's piercing, purple eyes. It was a mistake opening my eyes because I was instantly reminded why I was attracted to him. His eyes truly were beautiful, filled with brilliant luminosity, and I felt I could get lost in them. He was both beautiful and overwhelmingly masculine, and the confidence in which he carried himself was undeniably attractive.

I could tell the wine was beginning to affect me because my head felt heavier, my vision became a little fuzzy, and I felt my body grow hotter. I wasn't sure though if that was because of the wine or because Ronan was standing in between my legs. I suddenly felt a desperate need to get away from him as I began feeling unfamiliar and dangerous urges. Never before had I ever yearned for a man as I did now, and my arousal was growing by the second. I had to get away from him, _now_. My hands reached up to his hand which was still wrapped in my hair and I began frantically trying to get him to let go.

"Get your hands off of me!" I cried irritably, trying to pry his fingers open so he would relinquish his grip.

He frowned at me with obvious disapproval as I continued to pull at his hand. In a desperate attempt to get away I reached out and slapped him across the face as hard as I could. He barely even blinked as I hit him, clearly not at all hurt or affected by my touch. I may as well have hit him with a feather, but he became incensed nonetheless.

His left hand seized me by the neck while his other hand remained in my hair, and he roughly pushed me backwards so I was lying flat on my back. As he leaned over me with all of his weight in between my legs, I felt an overwhelming sense of pleasure in my core, and I couldn't hold back my arousal any longer. As he pressed forward my back naturally arched and I softly moaned at the wonderful sensation.

I instantly looked up at Ronan, completely mortified by what just happened, and saw him looking down at me with surprised eyes, undoubtedly perplexed. I was hoping the sound would go unnoticed, but I was sadly disappointed.

"I-I…th..." I stuttered nervously as I couldn't seem to form any words in my mind. I could feel my cheeks flushing with shame.

Ronan removed his hand from my neck and placed it next to my head, while his other hand remained wrapped in my hair. He supported himself on his hand as he slightly lifted himself up, still leaning over me. His head slowly tilted downwards so he was observing his position in between my legs, and his eyes drifted back to my face. He looked at me knowingly with heavy eyes as his lips curved into a sly smile.

Before I could say anything, he leaned into my core more forcefully this time, grinding his hips as he did so, and I heard myself cry out in pleasure as he moved against my sensitive flesh. When he stopped I opened my eyes, now breathing heavily with arousal, and saw him smirking at me. I realized my legs were wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer to me. I immediately let my legs drop down to the edge of the table, embarrassed by my unchaste behavior.

"Stop," I said in a quiet, trembling voice. I knew this wasn't right, but I honestly didn't want him to stop. Sensing my inner struggle, he released his grip on my hair and lowered himself so his mouth was right next to my ear.

"Swear your loyalty to me, and I will give you what you need," he purred darkly into my ear. He made me shiver with just the sound of his voice. I suddenly felt nervous as his other hand started to slowly move down my body.

As his fingers reached my waist, he looked at me intensely and reached in between my legs, cupping my soft mound with his large hand over my pants. I gasped at the unfamiliar feeling of being touched down there by another person and instinctively reached down to pull his hand away. He grabbed my wrists with his other hand and pinned them above my head as he stared at me confidently. I glanced nervously between his hand and his face, unsure of what to do.

His fingers began slowly moving up and down my folds, causing me to squirm and whimper in his grasp. I looked up at him nervously biting my lip as he stared back, determined to conquest my mind. As his fingers found my aching bud, I closed my eyes and moaned loudly with pleasure as he began expertly rubbing me from the outside of my pants. My hips pushed into his hand as my body yearned for release.

"Swear to me," he said more demandingly as I whimpered underneath him.

"I...I...," I muttered, stopping when I felt his hand begin to slide underneath the top of my pants.

"No," I said, suddenly becoming frightened. His hand continued to move downwards and I began kicking my legs at him.

"Ronan, stop," I said loudly. His hand stopped immediately and he looked up at me clearly irritated.

"I don't want to do this. Get off," I said shakily, my body still slightly trembling with arousal.

Ronan remained leaning over me, silently staring down at me with his fiery eyes, and I noticed his jaw was tightly clenched. My heart hammered away in my chest as he continued to stare at me like he was waiting for me to change my mind. I softly shook my head and looked away, now feeling ashamed for what I had allowed to transpire. He angrily growled as he withdrew his hand from my pants and stepped backwards away from me. I slowly sat up and saw him standing turned sideways, looking away from me. He turned his head in my direction and I felt myself involuntarily tremble from the scornful look he was giving me. He silently turned away from me and began walking out of the room, leaving me sitting there on the table feeling confused and hurt.

I hopped down from the table as I continued to watch him exit through the door. When he was no longer visible, I felt more alone and vulnerable than I ever had before. This man, who was the first to ever touch me so intimately, just left me standing here alone, without saying a word. How could I have been so stupid to let that happen? I never felt so naïve before in my life.

Five minutes later Nebula walked into the room, stopping when she saw all the trays scattered across the floor. She scowled at me as she placed her hands on her hips, and cocked her head to the side in annoyance.

"Your species are barbaric," she said with contempt as she walked towards me.

"I didn't-," I started to say, but Nebula roughly grabbed my arm and began pulling me away.

"I don't want to hear it, Terran. Break time is over," she said as she led me through the hallways.

She put me to work as soon as we entered the room, and within minutes my body was once again covered in sweat. For the next three hours we grappled, wrestled, and engaged in hand-to-hand combat. After our lengthy melee, every inch of my body felt sore and bruised and I couldn't wait to take a hot bath and soak my tender body.

"You did better today," Nebula said unemotionally as she led me to my room. "Your pathetic human body is getting stronger," she said without glancing back.

"Um, thanks. I guess," I said quietly behind her as we approached my room. She entered a code into the control pad and I quickly walked into my room, feeling exhausted and emotionally drained.

When I heard the door close behind me, I began stripping my sweat-soaked clothes off and threw them into the corner of my room. I walked into the bathroom and headed straight for the large, metal tub. As it began filling with hot, steaming water, I eagerly pressed down on several pumps until it was full of bubbles that smelled like jasmine and honeysuckle. While I waited for the bath to fill, I walked over to the large cabinet by the sink and began exploring its contents. I languidly inspected the drawers, only finding linens and toilet paper, but my interest immediately perked as I opened the last drawer. Inside was an assortment of glass vials filled with pills and ointments, each individually labeled in a language I could not interpret.

After several minutes of probing around I was ready to close the drawer, until one vial caught my eye. My hand eagerly picked up the vial as I recognized the white pills inside, and I felt beyond relieved as I imagined the tranquility they could offer me. My body was hurting all over and I couldn't stop thinking about my confusing moment with Ronan earlier.

What I needed most right now was to not feel anything at all. I popped one of the pills into my mouth and walked over to the sink, cupping my hands underneath the water faucet until they were full. I drank from my hands and swallowed the small piece of heaven, ready to forget about all of my troubles. By now the tub was nearly filled to the brim and I quickly walked over to turn the water off.

I stepped into the tub and sighed at the wonderful feeling of warmth encompassing my entire body. I closed my eyes and inhaled the intoxicating aroma, and let my head float on top of the water as I felt my body relax. As my ears became submerged, all I could hear was the sound of air entering and leaving my lungs. I became so focused on my breathing that I unknowingly began drifting off to sleep.

My hand grasped the cold, brass doorknob of my home and I excitedly pushed the door open and began looking for my parents. My face dropped as I realized something about this place did not feel right. My house always felt cheerful and inviting, but now there was an overbearing sadness that filled my chest with dread. I continued up the stairs, stopping halfway when I heard soft, feminine weeping coming from my bedroom. My feet moved of their own accord as my heart began beating frantically in my chest. As I approached the door, it slowly opened on its own and made a loud, creaking noise.

I entered the room, but there was no one in there. I turned around to leave, but stopped and screamed with shock as I saw a man front of me. My hand flew to my chest and I closed my eyes in relief as I realized it was my dad. I smiled and started walking towards him with my arms open, but he held his hands up to stop me.

"You need to go back," he said urgently, grabbing me by my shoulders. I looked at him feeling confused and offended by his greeting.

"But I just got here," I said, baffled by his behavior. All of a sudden I felt a sharp, crushing pain in my chest and I doubled over gasping for air.

"You're dying," I heard a sad voice say behind me. I quickly turned around and saw my mother standing behind me, her eyes shining with tears as she looked at me.

"Mom," I whispered as I stepped towards her. I barely even took two steps as I felt another painful stab in my chest, causing me to drop down to my knees.

"Wake up, Silvia," my dad said frantically from behind me. I looked up at my mom who was nodding her head in agreement.

"I don't want to leave. I just got you back," I said crying as I stood back up and turned to face both of them.

"You will die if you don't go now," my mother wailed. I stared at her in disbelief as my body became deathly cold. Once again I experienced an excruciating pressure in my chest and could feel myself slipping away.

Everything started to become blurry and within seconds I could no longer see my parents. I was surrounded by a thick, suffocating darkness I had never experienced before. I suddenly became aware that I was lying on a cold, hard floor and my body felt strangely wet and freezing. In the distance I heard someone calling my name and I began following the sound, hoping for a way out of this place. Visions of blue and purple danced before my eyes as I started to wake up.

I tried to breathe but I instantly started choking and immediately felt two large hands push me onto my side. My eyes popped open as I began violently coughing up water, which I could feel running out of my mouth and down my chin. For the next few minutes I was in excruciating pain as water flowed from both my nose and mouth, and all I could think about was getting fresh air. My throat and lungs burned so badly that breathing was almost impossible, and I could hear myself gasping as my body struggled to inhale.

I felt someone's hand gently brush the hair from my face as I continued fighting for air. I lied there for a while until I began breathing normally again, and then I became aware that I was extremely cold and dripping wet. I looked up for the first time fully conscious and saw Ronan kneeling next to me on the floor, staring at me intently. My teeth began chattering uncontrollably as my body shook from the cold, and I slowly sat up and began rubbing my arms. I instantly realized that I was naked and looked up at Ronan flushing with embarrassment as I covered myself with my hands. He quickly draped a warm, silky towel around my back and wrapped it around my body, never breaking eye contact as he did so.

Without a word he bent over and smoothly scooped me up in his arms, slowly carrying me out of the bathroom bridal-style. I naturally leaned into his chest, enjoying the comfort that his strength provided for me at the moment. It felt surprisingly nice to be in his strong arms, and I was genuinely surprised by his gracefulness. When we reached the bed he gently set me down and pulled the covers over me. My hand quickly reached underneath the covers and pulled the wet towel off, throwing it to the side of the bed.

His eyes glanced at the discarded towel on the floor as he sat down next to me, and his hand placed something on my nightstand. My head turned to the side and I recognized the small glass vial which contained the mind-numbing pills.

"I didn't know the pill would make me pass out like that," I croaked, sounding like a middle-aged smoker.

"You nearly drowned," he said harshly, causing me to tremble. I didn't understand why he was getting so upset. I was fine now and that's all that mattered.

"It was an accident," I muttered, looking down with shame. My fingers absently began playing with the sheets, helping to distract me from Ronan's disappointed stare.

"A minute later and you would have been dead," he seethed, his voice dripping with anger.

"I'm sorry," I whispered as I looked back up at him. "Thank you for saving me," I said sincerely with teary eyes. His expression seemed to soften as he stared at me, and he quickly turned his head away looking annoyed.

"Ronan," I said quietly, waiting for him to look at me. His head slightly turned in my direction as he stared at me from the corner of his eyes.

"Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?" I asked timidly. I knew I was pushing it, but after everything that happened I didn't want to be alone.

"You are acting like a child," he said in a disdainful tone as he frowned at me.

"Fine. Then leave," I replied tiredly. I sure as hell didn't want him staying if he was just going to insult me.

"Do not command me," he growled as he turned his body towards mine in a threatening manner. I rolled my eyes, annoyed by his need to prove himself more powerful, and pulled the sheets up to my chin. In my peripheral vision I could see him staring at me while my fingers nervously played with my hair. I heard him make a quiet hissing sound and I quickly glanced up to see him raise his chin and look away.

"This will not happen again after tonight," he said angrily while still looking away.

I watched in awe as he walked over to the other side of the bed and began positioning himself on the mattress. As he pulled his legs onto the bed and sat up with his back against the headboard, I couldn't help but stare at him with amazement. When I saw his head turn to look down at me, I quickly looked away and pulled the sheets tighter over my body. Although he was sitting on top of the covers, it felt strange to be lying in bed naked with Ronan next to me – especially now that he has seen me naked. Oddly enough, I didn't feel ashamed or embarrassed by this. Now seems as good a time as any to discuss what happened in the dining room.

"About earlier today…" I said quietly while fidgeting with the comforter.

"There is no need to discuss it," he interjected irritably. I glanced up to my left and saw him staring resentfully at the wall straight ahead.

"I liked it," I whispered softly before I could think about it. I saw his eyes slightly flicker in my direction, obviously surprised by my words, but he continued staring straight ahead.

"It felt so…," I said, unable to finish. I was going to say amazing, orgasmic, explosive, and more but I was too embarrassed, so I sighed pleasantly instead. I saw the corner of Ronan's mouth turn up slightly in a smirk.

"But I don't know you and honestly you confuse the hell out of me. One minute you're choking me and then you're saving my life. Plus, I'm a… well you know," I said awkwardly. "I don't know about this galaxy but on Earth that's a pretty big deal. It's just not how I plann-," I said before Ronan's hand covered my mouth. I glanced up and saw him staring at me frustratedly with his eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"Your incessant drivel is tiresome," he said with a irritated grimace. "You have made your point. Now sleep," he said seriously. His tone suggested he was not in the mood for arguing, so I sank down into the mattress as he released his hand.

He stared at me approvingly while I remained quiet and still, waiting for sleep. The fact that he was staying until I fell asleep was enough for me to ignore his arrogant method of silencing me, so I was not going to argue. I honestly didn't want to be alone right now, and I was frighteningly becoming attached to Ronan. It sucked to admit, but it was true. Apparently Ronan felt it too because as I drifted off to sleep, I could feel his fingers caressing my neck.

Small actions such as these made it clear to me that Ronan had feelings for me.

For the first time ever, I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

* * *

**Uh-oh...things are getting a little steamy.**

**Reviews are always welcome and helpful! ;)**


	8. Part I: Chapter 8

**_Chapter song: Hi-Five by Angel Olsen_**

* * *

When I awoke the next morning, my arm immediately reached to my left to see if Ronan was still there. I felt a pang of disappointment when my hand touched nothing but cold sheets. I slowly rubbed my eyes and sat up, looking around the room just to make sure I was really alone. He never promised to stay the night, but a small part of me was hoping he would. Before my imprisonment, I never craved the attention of others; in fact, I enjoyed being by myself most of the time. However, now I felt myself becoming strangely dependent on Ronan for companionship – and that was not good at all.

Shortly after I got dressed and ate my simple breakfast of porridge and fruit, Nebula walked into my room and escorted me to the training room. We entered the padded room and immediately I sensed that something was wrong. Before I could even turn around to ask what we were doing today, Nebula began attacking me from behind, and I instantly rolled forward to escape her blows.

I quickly stood up and turned to face her with my arms blocking my face, as if I already anticipated her next move. Sure enough, her fist roughly hit me in my right arm, causing me to stumble backwards a few feet. For the next ten minutes Nebula continued attacking me from all directions, and much to my surprise, I was able to block and evade every single blow. I actually began to smile because I realized I was hardly trying at all, whereas Nebula was becoming angrier by the second.

When I began smiling she lost it. She began ferociously striking me and soon I was overwhelmed by her relentless kicks. I was not quick enough for her kick to my chest and as a result I was sent flying backwards, roughly landing on my ass.

I slowly stood up, feeling slightly stunned by the sudden impact. Other than that, I felt completely fine, which was surprising since Nebula just dealt a powerful blow to my upper body. Surely I had to have at least one broken rib or a fracture. My hands roamed across my torso as I inspected myself for any undetected injuries, but everything felt normal. Nebula stared at me questioningly while she walked towards me.

"How are you not injured?" she asked suspiciously. She stopped within a few feet of me and continued staring at me like she couldn't believe her eyes.

"I…don't know," I said, not quite believing it myself. "I guess I really _am_ getting stronger," I said proudly as I looked back up at her. She rolled her eyes at this and placed herself into a fighting stance once again.

"Let's test this newfound strength of yours," she said smugly as she advanced towards me.

For the next couple of hours Nebula and I sparred, and much to her embarrassment the results were similar to earlier. For some unknown reason, I was becoming particularly good at defending myself, and I couldn't help but feel a little uneasy by this. I had only been training for a few days, but my body already felt accustomed to fighting.

It almost felt like I could sense what she was going to do before she actually did it, and this allowed me to dodge and block almost all of her strikes. Nebula began grunting as she attacked me - obviously frustrated by my ability to easily block her - and soon she was openly cursing at the moments when she missed my body completely.

"How is this possible?" she asked angrily. She became completely still after another failed attack.

"You must be a good teacher," I said unsurely. I was honestly asking myself the same question and didn't blame her for being so upset. Maybe I am naturally a good fighter and for some reason this hidden talent is just now appearing. The idea seemed ridiculous, but there really was no other explanation.

Nebula didn't seem convinced by my answer, but she didn't say anything else about it for the rest of the day. Over the next several hours she continued training me in defensive tactics - despite the fact that I really didn't need it – until we were both mentally and physically drained. She suddenly stopped and looked at me with her mouth drawn tight.

"We are done for today," she said distastefully as she began walking towards the door. "Tomorrow we will move on to offensive combat. Do not expect it to be easy," she said in a low voice.

When I returned to my room I was happy to discover a hot meal waiting for me on my nightstand. I walked over to the steaming plate and saw a strange roasted animal lying on top of what appeared to be a bed of couscous. Surrounding the animal were large, colorful vegetables which made my mouth water just by looking at them. The animal on the other hand did not look as appetizing. It smelled delicious, but I was pretty certain that if a chicken and a rat were to have a baby, this is what it would look like. However, it felt rude and wasteful not to eat it so I hesitantly took a bite of the white, juicy meat. It tasted like chicken. Surprise, surprise.

After eating I took a long, hot shower and scrubbed away the salty layer of sweat on my skin. I could feel my mood lifting by the second as the soap suds ran down my body. Cleanliness was always something I enjoyed, and I was enormously grateful for being given such a wonderful shower.

When I was done, I quickly walked across the cold, slate tile and grabbed my towel off of the sink countertop. While I was drying off I couldn't help but wonder if Ronan would be waiting for me in my bedroom. As my hand turned the doorknob, I felt my heart start to beat a little faster with excitement.

My eyes eagerly scanned the room, but I was disappointed to find myself alone. I slowly walked over to my bed and plopped myself down on the edge, casually swinging my feet in boredom. My mouth and jaw suddenly felt tired and I realized that I had been frowning. It was saddening to discover just how much I had been looking forward to seeing him.

For the next hour I walked around my room trying to decipher the carved images in my walls, but none of it made sense to me, so I finally lied back down on my bed. Exhaustion quickly overcame me and soon I was sound asleep, dreaming about a mysterious blue man.

The next morning, I was roughly shaken awake by Nebula and ordered to get dressed. When we entered the training room, Nebula immediately put me to work and had me practice my offensive strikes on the wall pads. Within the first few seconds of practice I noticed something very strange was happening. The pad felt unusually soft and conforming, whereas a few days ago it felt like I was hitting a brick wall and left my hands feeling bruised afterwards. Now, wherever my hands and feet made contact with the pad, a small indention was made.

"Are these new?" I asked pointing to the wall pads. Nebula slowly walked over to where I was standing and stared at the wall suspiciously as she got closer.

She ran her hand over the wall pad, narrowing her eyes in confusion as she did so, and quickly turned to face me. Her mouth was slightly parted as she stared at me, but she remained silent.

"Let's begin hand-to-hand combat," she said curtly as she walked to the center of the room. It sounded like her teeth were clenched together when she spoke. I hesitantly walked over to where she was standing and stopped ten feet in front of her, unsure of what to do.

"Try to attack me," she ordered angrily when I remained unmoving.

I walked towards her although I was extremely intimidated by the way she was staring at me, and attempted a straight punch to her face. She quickly bent backwards to avoid my hit and kicked me in the stomach as she straightened up, forcing me away from her. Immediately I advanced again, this time feeling more determined to wipe that smug look off her face.

After a combination of punches and kicks, I was finally able to break her defensive position and land a palm strike to her nose. I actually heard her grunt in pain as the heel of my palm hit her in the nose, which made me feel disturbingly happy and proud. Nebula became motionless and glared at me, clearly not enjoying how things were going.

"Time for a break," she said gruffly, turning her back to me as she walked out of the room.

She motioned with her hand for me to follow her, so I immediately began jogging to catch up to her. Soon I was standing in front of the double doors which led into the dining room. As the doors opened, a wave of mouthwatering scents filled my nose and mouth, and automatically my stomach began to growl. I felt my feet moving before I even thought about it, and instantly I was standing by the long table which was covered in dozens of trays filled with decadent foods.

My eyes surveyed the room to see if Ronan was lurking in the shadows, but I was alone – again. I rolled my eyes and began eating unenthusiastically from the trays, feeling slightly annoyed by his absence.

About an hour later Nebula returned and all but dragged me down the hall, taking me back to the dreaded training room. We continued training in offensive hand-to-hand combat, but we did not fight as long as we did yesterday. Nearly two hours of training had passed and I had lost count of how many times I had managed to strike Nebula. For whatever reason, I was improving remarkably fast, and I could tell this angered Nebula because by the end of our training she was a snarling, grunting mess.

I almost wanted to apologize for advancing so quickly, but I knew I shouldn't feel guilty for such a thing. In fact, she should be proud because it just meant she was an excellent instructor. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else going on here. After all, I had only been training for four days so it was almost physically impossible for me to get so good so fast. As we walked back to my room I stared at the floor in silence, pondering over the possibilities.

After eating and showering, I started to feel restless so I began pacing my room until my feet hurt. Any time I thought I heard something my head snapped to the main door, hoping to see a large blue man walk in and save me from my boredom. Several hours passed by and Ronan still hadn't visited me. My feet tapped nervously on the floor as I stood by the door, waiting for it to open. I walked over to the door on the left side of my room and tried opening it out of curiosity. It was locked just like the other times I had tried. What was the point of having a door that never opened?

I walked over to my bed and tried to sleep when I concluded Ronan would not be visiting me – _again_. I couldn't help but feel a little resentful. Yes, I was his prisoner, but he managed to see me every day before, so why suddenly stop now?

It felt like I had barely even closed my eyes when I heard Nebula shouting at me to wake up. I reluctantly got dressed and grabbed a pastry from the tray on my nightstand, quickly devouring it as I followed her through the hallway. When we entered the training room, Nebula walked over to the right wall and removed one of the pads from the wall, revealing a complex looking control panel. Her fingers swiftly entered a code into the panel and almost immediately a wall began descending from the ceiling on the opposite side of the room.

The wall was filled with dozens of shelves and sitting on each shelf was a unique weapon. As I stepped closer, I could identify a few guns which I had seen the guards on the ship carrying around, as well as many different knives and batons. The majority of the weapons were unrecognizable to me and I couldn't even begin to guess what they did.

We spent the _entire_ day going over every single weapon in elaborate detail until my brain felt like it was going to explode. Although some of the weapons were fascinating – such as the gun that could shoot multiple people at once – it was the most boring day of my life.

When I entered my room I was expecting to see Ronan, but the only thing waiting for me was my dinner. Seriously, where the hell was he? I was beginning to feel crazy being locked up in here with no one else to talk to except for the ever-cheerful Nebula. The fact that I would rather hang out with Ronan than her just confirmed how utterly desperate I was for company. This was insane - no, _I_ was insane.

The next day when I still received no visit from him, I asked Nebula where he was but the only answer I got was "he's busy," and she refused to go into any more detail. I began keeping track of how many days it had been since I last saw him.

**Five days.** Where was he?

**Six days.** I'm tired of guns.

**Seven days.** I don't have to use the eye piece, Nebula.

**Eight days.** I don't need to practice anymore. Look, my aim is perfect.

**Nine days.** Is he mad at me? What did I do?

**Ten days.** I hate this.

**Eleven days.** Leave me alone, Nebula. You taught me this already.

**Twelve days.** I am stronger than you. Why do you keep fighting me?

**Thirteen days.** Why is he doing this to me? LEAVE ME ALONE, NEBULA.

On the fourteenth day I snapped.

Over the past two weeks I had become frighteningly good at everything Nebula taught me. After the first week she and I both silently agreed not to talk about it because it was an uncomfortable subject. It obviously bothered Nebula that I was stronger than her and there was no explanation for my creepy, freakishly-fast reflexes.

My body moved on its own, performing moves I did not even know I was capable of, and it honestly freaked me out. The other day during weapons training I managed to hit one hundred targets, all perfectly in the middle, in under thirty seconds. How was that even possible?

Today Nebula and I were back in the padded training room, practicing both offensive and defensive moves. Over the last few days Nebula and I sparred, and I won every single time. Fighting Nebula wasn't exactly easy, but it wasn't hard either; it was mostly annoying because she was the most stubborn person I had ever met.

Two days ago I roughly kicked her in the jaw and consequently discovered her body automatically fixes itself any time a bone or joint becomes dislocated. It was crazy and mildly disgusting to watch her jaw pop back into place, but the craziest part was that she wanted to keep fighting. It was like she was determined to prove she was better than me.

"Nebula, we've done this already. We fight. I win. Game over," I said tiredly as I started walking towards the door.

I heard a faint whooshing sound and a second later felt something nick my ear. Sticking out of the wall in front of me was a twelve inch long knife. When I pulled my fingers away from my ear I looked down to see they were coated in blood, and I instantly felt myself become enraged.

"What the fuck," I hissed, turning around to face her.

"Do not turn your back on me, Terran. The time for child's play is over. Let's see who the better fighter is once and for all," she said harshly, walking towards me in quick, deliberate strides.

"Fine, bitch," I growled back at her, preparing myself for her attack.

As Nebula closed the distance in between us, my mind began exploring the possible moves she might make, but nothing prepared me for what she did next. In the blink of an eye, Nebula was spinning horizontally in the air with her feet aiming straight at my chest, and I knew I didn't have time to move. I felt her feet land directly on my sternum, causing me to fly backwards faster than I imagined possible. I didn't even have time to process the pain in my chest as my back collided with something hard. There was a loud, shattering noise, and instantly my body was covered with shards of glass.

I slowly stood up in the hallway, grunting in pain as pieces of glass dug into my skin. I looked up to see the glass wall that once looked into the training room was now completely destroyed and lying at my feet in broken fragments. At that moment, all I could think about was hurting Nebula. Every bit of emotional turmoil I had suppressed for the past two weeks suddenly came bubbling up to the surface, and I became blinded by a desperate rage.

I heard the sound of glass crunching underneath my feet before I even realized I was running towards Nebula. I decided at that moment to let my body take over, and instantly it felt like a switch had gone off in my brain, turning me into some type of killer animal. It was a bizarre feeling because for once in my life I allowed my body to act before my brain could think, and it was actually working. The adrenaline and rage that coursed through my body turned everything into a blur, but I suddenly became aware that Nebula was on the ground, writhing in pain. I stood over her, breathing heavily from physical exertion, and forced my body to relax. Now that it was over, I actually felt guilty looking down at her.

After a few seconds I heard a faint sound to my right and I quickly turned my head to discover the origin of the noise. I felt my eyes widen with surprise as I saw Ronan standing in the hallway, staring at me and Nebula with faint disbelief. Without thinking I started moving in his direction, trying to get ahold of him before he disappeared into oblivion again.

"Ronan," I whispered as I stepped closer to him. When his eyes met mine, I felt myself come to a sudden halt. The message he was sending through his eyes could not have been any clearer – he did not want me anywhere near him. It felt like I had been punched in the stomach, but I remained untouched where I stood.

He stood there frowning at me for what felt like a lifetime until he turned and began walking away, leaving me alone with Nebula once again. Despite every instinct telling me not to, I ran after Ronan. Maybe it was the adrenaline which still ran through my veins or my desperation for a meaningful conversation – who knows – but I was not going to just let Ronan walk away from me. By the time I caught up to him he was almost around the corner out of sight. My feet pounded against the hard, metallic floor as I sprinted towards him.

"Hey!" I shouted as I ran up behind him, but he did not stop or slow down. The second my fingers touched his back, he turned around and pushed me against the wall with his hand wrapped around my neck.

"Do not assume to touch me, Terran," he growled as his grip tightened, causing me to whimper. Terran, _really_? I didn't understand what I had done to make him so angry.

"Why are you acting like this?" I asked, bewildered by his harsh behavior.

"You are my prisoner and nothing more," he said angrily. "It is time you start behaving as such," he said in a low voice looking down at me.

"It sure felt like _more_ two weeks ago," I said heatedly. My eyes began to water with the anger I now felt deep inside me. How dare he treat me like this? Everything that had happened between us was _his_ fault, not mine.

"Enough of this," he said, grabbing me by the collar of my shirt. He began pulling me along with him down the hallway towards my room. I could barely keep up with his long strides, so half the time he was dragging me and I was stumbling around like an idiot.

"Ronan, let go of me," I said hotly, trying to pull his hand away from me. He remained facing forward, walking at an unreasonably fast pace.

I suddenly tripped and fell facedown onto the floor, crying out as my knees hit the hard metal. Before I could even attempt to get up, I felt Ronan pick me up and sling me over his shoulder like I was a bag of flour. I started screaming indignantly, punching and kicking as hard as I could, but he didn't even seem to notice.

"Let me down! _You_ are the one that started this, not me. This isn't my fault," I shouted irritably as I continued to wriggle on his shoulder.

"You can't leave me here alone. Please, I can't take it anymore," I cried out as we came to a stop. I heard the sound of a door opening and then I was roughly dropped from his shoulder onto the floor of my bedroom.

"Ronan!" I shouted angrily at his back as the door closed behind him. I stared at the door in disbelief, hoping I had just imagined the whole ordeal. Was Ronan really not going to see me anymore?

I began crying when I thought about my impending isolation and meaningless existence inside this room. Captivity was not something I could handle well, and I was seriously worried about my mental health. I was already turning into a psychotic killing machine, capable of blacking out and harming people until they're writhing on the floor. I felt guilty for hurting Nebula, but it was honestly her fault. Still, it was scary to think I could overpower someone such as her. After today, I wasn't going to have anyone else to talk to. There was no way Nebula would want anything to do with me after what I did to her.

As snot ran from my nose, I forced myself up from the floor and into the bathroom, desperately needing to wash my face. As I waited for the bathtub to fill up, a thought came to my mind and I walked over to the pill cabinet. I wasn't going to kill myself, but doping myself up would make my imprisonment a little more tolerable. When I opened up the drawer I found it to be completely empty. Damn it. Ronan must have removed all of the pills after I nearly drowned. Well, so much for that plan.

After spending nearly an hour in the tub, I stepped out of the bathroom and crawled into bed, ignoring the steaming dinner plate by my nightstand. Sleep was my escape from this miserable place, and it could not come fast enough. Within minutes I was dreaming and blissfully unaware of my imprisonment on Ronan's ship.

For whatever reason, I suddenly woke up in the middle of the night. I lied there in bed for what felt like hours, but I couldn't fall back asleep. I sighed in frustration and looked around the room, instantly noticing a faint light coming from the left side of my room, right where the locked door was. I swiftly got out of bed and pulled on a shirt and a pair of shorts I found in my clothes pile.

As I got closer to the door I felt my heart start to beat faster with excitement when I noticed something different. The door was slightly cracked open, but if you weren't looking close enough it would still appear closed. My fingers pushed slightly on the door, causing it to slowly open up without a sound. When the gap was wide enough, I stepped through the door and had to stop myself from gasping at what I saw.

It was a bedroom. It was eerily similar to my own bedroom, except the furniture was slightly grander and the ceilings were even higher. The room was illuminated with the same bluish-white wall sconces that were found in my room, which made the space appear more mysterious and alluring. Everything about this room was clean, orderly, and smelled strangely masculine. On the opposite wall there was a door which was slightly open and light could be seen through the crack. I began absently walking towards the door as my curiosity got ahold of me.

When I reached the other side of the room and stood five feet away from the door, something to my left caught my eye. I looked over and instantly felt my mouth run dry as I looked at something terribly familiar: Ronan's armor. For a second I thought it was Ronan himself, but when I didn't see his blue skin or glowing, purple eyes I was instantly filled with relief. I looked back to the door in front of me, now slightly trembling with anticipation and nervousness. Before I could stop myself, I stepped forward and lightly pushed on the door.

My chest was visibly rising and falling with excitement as the door began opening up. When the door was finally fully opened, I couldn't stop my mouth from dropping open at what I saw. The room was filled with steam and there in front of me was a very naked Ronan standing in the shower, completely unaware of my presence. He was turned away from me so all I could see was his backside, but that was enough to make me feel hot with desire, and I absently walked forward.

Everywhere I looked I saw defined muscles hidden underneath beautiful, blue skin. His upper body had a perfect "V" shape which reminded me of an Olympic swimmer, but he had much more muscle mass. I felt myself blush as my eyes moved lower, but I was too curious to stop there. I never considered myself an ass girl, but Ronan's ass was something completely different. It honestly looked like it had been carefully sculpted and created solely for the purpose of being stared at. His lean, muscular legs only accentuated his perfectly round bottom that women back home would pay to have.

He leaned forward with his hand placed on the wall while his other hand slowly rubbed the back of his neck. I was surprised to see that he was bald, but it suited him. As his hand ran up his neck and over his head, the muscles of his upper back and arms flexed from the movement, and I truly admired his physique at that moment. I heard myself sigh in appreciation and I instantly regretted it. My hand covered my mouth to cover the noise, but I was too late.

Not a second later, Ronan was halfway turned around, staring at me with wide, furious eyes. I started walking backwards, completely terrified of him at the moment, as my heart began pounding away in my chest. I felt my breath catch in my throat as he stepped out of the shower. I reflexively covered my eyes with my hand in embarrassment and quickly turned around to run out of the room. That was probably the stupidest thing I could have done because before I even took one step, I felt my face collide with the door frame. I silently cursed myself for being an idiot and stumbled out of the bathroom with my hand holding my sore forehead.

When I ran past Ronan's bed, I felt his hand grab the back of my shirt and pull me backwards, causing me to slam into his torso. My hands rested on his bare abdomen, which was covered in an impressive eight pack and felt as hard as a rock. His hand pulled on my hair so I was forced to look up at him, and right away I felt my eyes go wide with shock and wonder.

I had never seen Ronan before without his war paint on and what I saw now was so completely different than what I was used to, so I couldn't help but stare at him in awe. He was still intimidating to look at, but without the black paint surrounding his eyes, he did not look like the terrifying man I had grown to fear. He was actually extremely handsome. Of course his powerful presence and large physique still scared the hell out of me, but as my hands felt his chiseled abs, I felt a strange tingling sensation in my core. I didn't think it was possible, but I was both slightly frightened and turned on at the same time.

"How did you get in here?" he asked in a sharp voice. "Answer me," he hissed, tugging on my hair when I didn't answer right away. When he spoke I noticed his teeth appeared to be perfectly white and straight now that they weren't covered in black paint.

"I... the door… it was open," I whispered, subconsciously licking my lips. He glanced down at my mouth, slightly loosening his grip on my hair as he did so. I looked down at his chest and abs, and slowly began moving my hands across his chiseled torso, relishing in the power I felt behind his muscles. I could feel Ronan's eyes watching me as I explored his body, but he made no move to stop me.

My hands moved lower until they reached the towel that was tightly wrapped around his waist, and I suddenly felt a burning hot desire overcome my body. Just as the tips of my fingers pulled on the top of his towel, Ronan's hands fiercely gripped my wrists, causing me to wince in pain.

"You are my prisoner," he growled harshly, glaring down at me.

"Yes," I said softly as my eyes roamed across his body.

I didn't know what was happening to me, but every inch of my body felt like it was on fire. Ronan let go of my wrists and tightly held my jaw with his right hand, tilting my head back so I was looking straight up at him. Now that my hands were free again, I placed them above the towel on his waist and began playing with the edge of fabric. He leaned in closer so I could feel his hot breath on my face and looked at me with his penetrating, purple eyes.

"Do not make the mistake of thinking you're in control here," he said slowly in a deep, husky voice.

"I have no control," I said as my fingers toyed with his towel. "Please," I whispered, unable to holdback my desire any longer.

His eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared at my words, as if I had said something of great significance. He looked at me with heavy eyes and lowered his face so his mouth was hovering above mine in a teasing manner.

"You don't know what you're asking for," he said seriously, tightening his grip on my jaw.

"I'm asking for _you_," I said impatiently as my hand pulled at his towel, causing it to drop down to the floor. My eyes remained locked on his face as he stared down at me smugly, as if he was impressed by my bold move.

Ronan grabbed my hair once again and pulled my head back, while his other hand gently held me by my neck. He quickly closed the space between us and pressed his lips against mine with a delicious amount of force. His mouth slightly parted and I felt his tongue expertly open my lips, claiming my mouth for his own. My hands reached around his neck and pulled him closer as our tongues lightly grazed each other, both trying to take control of the kiss. He was without a doubt an excellent kisser and I felt myself growing wetter by the second. When I began moaning into his mouth, I heard him growl and he then roughly pushed me backwards, causing me to fall onto my back on the bed.

I looked down past his waist for the first time and gulped when I saw his erect length pointing at me like a weapon. I had seen plenty of dicks before – from porn, anatomy class, the occasional frat party – but never a blue one. It appeared nearly as thick as my forearm – and almost as long – which made me extremely nervous because I knew it was going to be painful. The closer he got, the larger it appeared, and I felt myself swallow nervously. I looked back up as he slowly approached me and saw him smirking down at me, obviously noticing the worry on my face when I took in his size.

"It will not hurt with me," he said confidently as he lowered himself on top of me.

And I trusted him.

* * *

**I know, I know! I hate to end the chapter right there, but good things come to those who wait. Trust me.**

**On another note - sorry the update took so long. I had family in town! The reviews have been SO encouraging and nice. I really appreciate them and they definitely keep me motivated, so thanks :)**

**The next chapter should not take as long to complete, so no need to worry. I will not keep you waiting too long for the full details ;)**


	9. Part I: Chapter 9

_**Chapter song: Civilian by Wye Oak**_

* * *

If someone told me a month ago that I would lose my virginity to an alien, I would have thought they were crazy and laughed in their face, but here I was, panting with fervent desire underneath a blue man whom I hardly knew. I had gone twenty-two years without ever being seduced into a man's bed, but now I was begging Ronan to take away my innocence. I didn't know what was happening to me. Before I met Ronan, I didn't even think it was possible to reach the state of arousal I was experiencing now. It was intense, unbearable, scorching, and making me uncomfortably wet.

My body obviously had no issue with what was about to happen, but I couldn't silence the nagging voice in the back of my head. I didn't even know the man, yet I was ready to give him something that could never be returned or replaced. And what was up with him ignoring me? Two weeks ago he saved my life – again – and agreed to watch me sleep, yet today he adamantly tells me I am nothing but a prisoner to him. Why? His actions said I was more than a prisoner to him, but he seemed determined to prove otherwise. Why would he do this unless… wait…

Could it be possible that Ronan really does care for me and it frightens him? That would explain why he avoided me for two weeks and treated me so harshly today. Now that I thought about it, it almost sounded like he was trying to convince _himself_ when he told me I was nothing more to him. Was I just grasping at straws trying to justify what I was about to do? Probably. But my intuition was telling me to trust Ronan, despite everything he did to me.

Honestly, I didn't even care anymore, especially now that Ronan's naked, heavy body was pressed against mine. The aching, tightening desire I felt in between my legs was making it hard for me to think clearly. What good has my virginity done for me anyways? I was probably never going back to Earth, so I might as well lose it to a hot, powerful, alien warlord – or whatever the hell he was. _Fuck it._

Any remaining doubts I had quickly vanished as I felt Ronan's soft lips press against my neck, right below my ear. Slowly, and quite teasingly, his lips began to move downwards, planting kisses every few seconds along the side of my neck, until he reached a delicious spot near the bottom that made my toes curl. He stopped as he sensed my body's reaction, and for the briefest second I felt him smile against my skin before his practiced mouth began sucking on my neck more forcefully.

My back involuntarily arched at the wonderful sensation, causing my breasts to push into his solid, masculine chest. Every time he kissed my neck, I felt electrical pulses flow through my body down to my groin, and it was making me unbearably aroused.

"Ronan," I whispered. "Please, I'm ready," I said softly into his ear. He paused and snickered once in response, pulling himself up.

"No, you are not," he said, smirking at my pout. "Patience, Silvia. I have only just begun." He leaned back on his knees and eyed my clothes with distaste.

He gently pulled on my arms so I was forced to sit up and swiftly slid my shirt over my head, exposing my breasts. Out of habit I covered myself with my hands. My modesty was short-lived though, because Ronan immediately pushed me back down to the mattress, pinning my hands on either side of my head.

I watched him as my chest began to rapidly rise and fall. "You will not hide anything from me tonight," he said firmly. I meekly nodded in response, admiring his authority and confidence now more than ever.

When he was sure I would not cover myself again, he released my wrists and glided his fingers underneath the top of my shorts, making eye contact with me as he did so. As he began pulling the thin fabric down, I felt my cheeks grow warm as I remembered there was nothing underneath. _Of course this would happen the one time I decide not to wear panties._ With my bottom lip between my teeth, I watched Ronan's face as he removed the last barrier between our bodies. When I was finally completely exposed to him his eyes crinkled with delight. With deft hands he slid my shorts down the remainder of my legs and sent them flying across the room without a glance.

His eyes feasted hungrily on my naked, vulnerable body, and judging by his rigid length he was enjoying the sight. I crossed my legs and pressed my thighs tightly together, trying to create some kind of friction to ease the oppressive throbbing in my groin. He leaned forward from his kneeling position and hovered over me, staring with narrow, frustrated eyes.

He grabbed ahold of my inner thigh. "Stop," he growled, sending chills down my spine. I immediately obliged. When he began lowering himself onto the mattress to the right of me, I groaned in frustration and tried to pull him back on top of me.

"Not yet," he said. He propped himself up on his elbow and faced his body towards mine, all the while watching me with an amused look on his face. I could feel his impressive length pressed against my right outer thigh, just begging me to grab it.

"Ronan," I complained, rolling over to face him. But before I could make it to my side, Ronan's left hand seized both of my wrists and pinned them to the bed, while his right leg forced my legs open and kept them spread apart with his knee.

I had become extremely vulnerable in a matter of seconds, and it was absolutely terrifying. Being dominated by a strong, unrelenting man was uncharted territory. My stubborn, virginal mindset was beginning to kick in and it was urging me to protect my maidenhood. There I was, lying spread-eagle and bound to a bed; unable to move or cover up my naked body, so of course my first instinct was to fight.

The only limb of mine that remained unrestrained was my left leg, and I did not hesitate to use it. I began kicking at his right leg which was placed strategically between my own. And although I was fighting him, I could feel myself holding back because deep down I _wanted_ him to dominate me. It was intimidating, unfamiliar, and frightening, but it was also exhilarating and made me feel strangely desirable.

As I struggled against his grip, I heard Ronan quietly growl before he leaned in and captured my neck with his mouth, instantly finding my erogenous zone. My body instantly relaxed and succumbed to the heavenly pleasure he was giving me, making me gasp and shudder against his body. While his mouth worked wonders on my neck, I could feel his right hand slowly traveling down my body, heading straight for my untouched cherry. Once again I attempted to wrestle out of his grip, but he only tightened his hold on my hands, making it impossible for me to move a single inch.

By now I was breathing loudly from the excitement and fear that overwhelmed my mind. Although I was scared, I didn't cry or scream for him to stop because I was desperate for his touch. I wanted it _bad,_ and Ronan knew it too. Despite my obvious arousal, I couldn't stop myself from struggling against him. It almost felt like a game - a game I didn't mind losing. The stubborn side of me was holding me back, not allowing me to submit to him just yet.

When his hand cupped my warm, hairless mound, he removed his mouth from my neck and looked up to gauge my reaction. I slightly shivered as his large hand pressed harder into my folds, and this caused the corners of Ronan's mouth to curve into a devious smile. He continued to watch me with heavy eyes as one of his fingers began tracing the sensitive crease. All the while I squirmed and panted with growing excitement. Feeling another person's hands down there was exhilarating to say the least. His finger suddenly slipped in between the crease, causing me to gasp, and he instantly found the wetness which had begun pooling at my entrance.

His chest vibrated as he hummed deeply in appreciation. At the same moment, I felt his engorged muscle twitch against my thigh, making me gasp with surprise. His left hand tightened around my wrists when I whimpered, as if he expected me to try to escape again, but that was the last thing on my mind. All I could think about was how badly I wanted Ronan to plunge his finger deep inside of me and end this overwhelming ache. My hips instinctively lifted upwards in an attempt to push his finger into me, but this only caused Ronan to pull his hand back and 'tsk' with disapproval.

"Try that again," he said in a low, husky voice, "and you will be punished."

Judging by the way he was smirking at me, I knew he wasn't actually upset; but I also knew he meant what he said, and for some odd reason this caused my abdominal muscles to tighten with excitement.

I remained completely still as his fingers returned to my wet center, but I couldn't stop the strangled whimpers of sexual frustration from passing my lips. When his finger moved upwards to my throbbing bud, I completely lost it and writhed against his hold from the pleasure. His finger, which was now coated with my arousal, easily glided over my bud in small, circular movements, applying just the right amount of pressure. As his finger skillfully stroked my swollen nub, I could feel the familiar, building tightness in my lower abdominal muscles. I softly moaned and closed my eyes, trying to absorb every ounce of pleasure he was giving me.

As I came closer to my peak, my soft moans turned into loud, continuous, desperate moans of wanton need. I began having strong, involuntary muscle spasms within my legs and I was grateful at that moment for being pinned down because I was sure I would have accidentally hit him if I weren't. A thin layer of sweat coated my body as my abdominal muscles began contracting at a faster rate, burning and aching more and more each second.

When I felt my core become unbearably tight, I knew he was about to give me my first orgasm. After several faint, high-pitched moans, my body became rigid as I started to come, and all I could do was sit back and enjoy the blissful wave of ecstasy. Just as I was about to reach the high point of my climax, I felt Ronan's thumb replace his finger, and then I became aware of his middle finger pushing into my spasming tightness.

My eyes snapped open with surprise, completely caught off guard by his sly move, but they instinctively closed when Ronan began stroking my throbbing bud again. My legs began to shake and the muscles in my core tightened around his finger, eliciting a lustful growl from Ronan, and this of all things brought me over the edge.

"Please… Yes... I'm going to come… Oh, please don't stop," I moaned without thinking.

My hips involuntarily rocked against his hand, pushing him further into me; but unlike last time, Ronan did not pull away. His finger continued to glide in and out of me in slow, steady strokes as the last waves of my orgasm came to an end.

I opened my heavy, lust-filled eyes and found Ronan staring at me quite devilishly with flaring nostrils. His finger pushed further into me than before and I grunted loudly with impatience, wishing it was another, _larger_ part of him and not his finger. Sensing my impatience, he began pushing another finger into my tight cavern, further stretching me. I couldn't help but wince at the pressure.

"Tell me," he purred as he positioned himself in between my legs. "Are you ready for me?" he asked in a challenging tone, forcing his fingers deeper into me.

I groaned as he began filling me with his fingers, making it feel as if I were being torn at my entrance.

"No," I whimpered, shaking my head.

"Well then," he said in a serious voice. "I suggest you quit whining." As his fingers began to withdraw from my sore entrance, I noticed he was watching me more closely than before, as if he were waiting for something.

Just when I felt some physical relief his fingers unexpectedly began pushing back into me again, making me inhale sharply from discomfort. It didn't sting as before, but it didn't feel good either. If I couldn't even handle his fingers, how the hell was I supposed to take the rest of him?

"Ronan," I said, trying to steady my voice.

"Your body will adapt," he said, sensing my fear. "_Patience_, Silvia," he reminded me softly.

He released his grip on my wrists and lowered his other hand to my wet folds, going straight for my sensitive bud. In only a few seconds, Ronan had me moaning and grasping at the bed sheets as my body became overwhelmed with pleasure. I thought one hand was great, but it was amazing what he could do with both at the same time. His left hand was working magic on my bundle of nerves, while his other fingers filled me up, plunging in and out of me with increasing speed. I felt an unfamiliar pressure building inside of me that I had never felt before, and it was driving me absolutely crazy. I wanted – no I _needed_ him.

"Please, please, please," I cried out as my hands pulled at the sheets. "I want you inside of me," I begged, looking up at him.

"You are not ready yet," he said, staring at me with lust-filled eyes.

"Yes I am! Please, Ronan," I whimpered as I tried pulling him on top of me.

"You cannot han-," he began in an irritated tone.

"Now!" I shouted with desperation. His eyes narrowed with annoyance, but his lips curved upwards as he leaned over me, propping himself up on his elbows.

"Very well," he said slowly, his deep voice hinting of amusement. He began sliding the head of his length up and down my folds, coating it with my natural, silky lubricant.

He leaned in closer and lowered himself so his chest was pushing against my bosom, making me feel tiny in comparison to his large, wide frame. Goosebumps began appearing on my skin as he grazed his soft lips along my neck, stopping right next to my ear.

I felt him position himself at my entrance. "You asked for this," he said, his voice thick with desire. Without warning, he began pushing himself into me.

There was immediately a stinging sensation as he slid past my entrance, making me hiss and clutch at his smooth, bulging arms, but he continued pushing nonetheless. Although it burned from being stretched, it didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. With his mouth eagerly sucking on my neck, his right hand reached down between our bodies and began stroking me at the precipice of my folds, causing all of my pain to disappear. My body immediately relaxed and opened up to his length, allowing him to slide even deeper inside of me. After nearly a minute of this, he stopped and raised his head to look at me.

His hand stroked my cheek, wiping a tear I did not know was there. "How do you feel?" he asked.

"I'm fine," I whispered softly, smiling at his concern. "I thought it would hurt more."

"I told you it would not hurt with me," he said, lowering his gaze between my legs. "Then again, I'm not yet halfway in." I felt my eyes widen with shock, and he smirked. _He's not even all the way in? How big is this guy?_

His left hand wrapped itself in my hair while his other hand caressed the side of my face. As he lowered his mouth to mine, I felt him pull out of me, leaving only the tip of him inside. My hands roamed across his back and neck as our lips pressed together, and I relished in feeling his muscles ripple with every movement. The masculinity that radiated off of him was intoxicating, and my legs subconsciously opened wider for him, silently granting him deeper access. His warm tongue pushed past my lips, easily forcing my mouth to open for him, and I was more than happy to submit to him. Just when I felt his tongue brush against mine, Ronan roughly pushed himself into me, causing me to moan into his mouth.

Over and over he thrust into me, each time almost pulling completely out and then slamming himself back in, deeper than before. My legs wrapped around his waist, pushing him deeper into me with each thrust, and this caused him to grunt with satisfaction.

After several minutes of this slow, delicious torture he began picking up the pace, and almost immediately I noticed something happening deep inside my walls. The pleasure I felt when Ronan's thick member pressed along my upper wall became magnified as his thrusts became quicker and more demanding, sending me into a spiral of sexual ecstasy.

My moans of pleasure transformed into loud, pleading wails as Ronan began slamming into me with full force. The sound of skin slapping together resonated around the room as he mercilessly pounded into me, and this only seemed to turn us on even more. His fingers dug into my hips with brutal strength, holding me still as I began writhing from the overbearing pleasure that made my muscles spasm.

There was a tremendous pressure building in my core and in the pit of my stomach, and soon my walls began quivering around his massive length. I could feel myself quickly approaching the edge of something magnificent, something I didn't think was possible your first time, and something even my experienced friends never got to enjoy. I was going to have an orgasm from penetration alone, and I knew this was only possible because Ronan was an expert at it.

"Silvia," he growled in a deep, raspy voice. "You belong to _me_ now_," _he finished, emphasizing each word with a thrust.

I moaned loudly in response, incapable of forming words or thoughts at the moment.

He roughly pulled my head back by my hair. "Say it," he ordered darkly.

"I…I belong to you. Oh, God, please," I wailed as I felt my impending orgasm approach me. He smirked down at me triumphantly before he spoke.

"Scream for me, Silvia," he ordered, before his mouth latched onto one of my pert nipples.

His tongue swirled around the erect, pink bud before gently biting and tugging on it, making me cry out in pain and pleasure. It was the most amazing feeling in the world and I didn't want it to ever end. My eyes rolled into the back of my head as pleasure consumed my body, feeling as if every muscle was tightly wound and would explode at any second.

Just when I didn't think I could take it any longer, I felt my body become unusually still, as if it had become paralyzed with pleasure. A second later my back arched, which only encouraged Ronan to continue biting and sucking on my swollen breasts. My hands gripped onto his biceps in blind desperation as screams of pure bliss escaped my throat. I was having the best orgasm of my life. The muscles in my core actually pushed Ronan out of me as I came, and his eyes instantly darkened with pride and primal need.

"Yes," he growled as he forced himself back into me. "Again, Silvia," he demanded.

I just had the most amazing, intense orgasm of my life, and I was already feeling another one building as Ronan continued to relentlessly fuck me, driving me into the bed with each forceful push. Not even a minute later, I had another mind-shattering orgasm, and my abdominal muscles began to severely burn from the constant contractions. I didn't think it was possible, but this was actually feeling _too_ good. As I felt my third orgasm approaching, my abdominal muscles began tightening up again, and I began panting for air because I was unable to catch my breath. _Is it possible to pass out from sex?_

"I can't – it's too much," I cried out in strangled gasps. My fingernails dug sharply into his lower back as I tried to find some form of release. He didn't seem to mind at all.

"Look at me," he demanded, grabbing me by my jaw.

I slowly opened my eyes and found his face hovering above mine, with his eyes locked on my own. We continued staring at one another for what felt like a lifetime, and for a brief second I could have sworn Ronan was inside of my mind. My eyes began fluttering closed as I felt myself approaching my peak, and in response Ronan increased his speed. I opened my eyes with surprise when I heard him begin to grunt every few thrusts, and watched his face as his eyes became filled with a dark, determined need I had never seen before.

His hands grabbed my hips once again, pulling me harder onto his throbbing muscle, and for the third time that night I climaxed. I moaned with joy as the evidence of my pleasure ran down my crack and onto the bed. Several seconds later, Ronan groaned and grabbed my hair before burying himself inside me as far as he could go, filling me with his hot seed in a few final thrusts.

When Ronan was finished, he rolled himself off of me and lied down next to my exhausted body. We both stared at the ceiling in silence, unsure of what to do or say next, but it was an oddly comfortable silence. The after-effects of hot, mind-blowing sex left me feeling naturally buzzed, like I was floating on cloud nine, so I was more than happy to lie here without speaking. After only a few, short minutes I began to drift asleep, but I was quickly pulled out of my peaceful slumber by Ronan's hand running along my arm.

"This does not change your situation," he said in a deep voice, barely above a whisper. I instantly rolled my eyes at his comment. Why did he feel the need to ruin the moment?

"You have a real way with women, Ronan," I muttered sarcastically at the ceiling. I heard him snigger, as if he was amused, and I turned my head towards him out of curiosity.

He continued staring upwards, slightly smirking at the ceiling, like he was thinking about something humorous. His head turned to my side of the bed when he noticed I was watching him.

"I am serious, Silvia," he warned quietly. His eyes narrowed in annoyance when he saw me raise my eyebrows skeptically at him.

"What happened just now…it means _nothing_ to me," he cruelly replied. His eyes hardened before returning to the ceiling once again.

His mocking tone hurt more than I cared to admit, and it took everything in me not to cry. _At least he's not looking at me right now, _I thought, _I don't want him to see me cry. _It was unfair how easily he could hurt me with the sound of his voice alone.

I quickly wiped my eyes and sat up. "Fine," I huffed angrily. In the corner of my eye I saw him jerk his head in my direction. I wasn't in the mood to argue with him tonight. If he wanted to be an asshole, then he could do that all by himself.

"I'm going to my room," I mumbled irritably, staggering out of bed. As I reached down to pick up my clothes, I caught Ronan looking at me unhappily, as if he was angered by me leaving.

"What?" I asked loudly, irritated by his silence. His confusing behavior was really pissing me off. It was impossible to figure out what he wanted from me.

"Did I speak?" he replied coldly as he leaned back against the headboard. I sighed once again and bent down to pick up my panties. As I walked out of the room, I could feel his eyes watching me from the bed, but he didn't utter another word.

I fell asleep that night hoping Ronan would come in and apologize, but I was sadly disappointed.

The next morning I was unexpectedly shaken awake by an angry, shouting blue woman. _Nebula. What the hell is she shouting?_

"Did you hear me, Terran?" She growled over my head. Her hand roughly pulled the covers back and unknowingly revealed my naked body.

"Hey!" I shouted angrily back at her. "What the hell is the matter with you?" I asked as I jumped out of bed and began grabbing my clothes.

Nebula's face grew more furious by the second as she looked me up and down. I looked down to find out why she was getting so upset and immediately gasped. There were bruises in the shape of fingerprints all along my hips and outer thighs, and bite marks around my nipples. I didn't even remember him doing those things to me last night. I quickly dressed myself as Nebula continued to stare at me with a mixture of hatred and disgust.

"I get it now. The two of you are making a fool out of me. You know, don't you?" She asked loudly from across the room.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I muttered with increasing confusion. "Know about what?" I asked quietly as she scowled at me with pure hatred.

"You know why you're stronger than me. Tell me," she snarled through clenched teeth. "I want to know _how_!" She shouted as I vigorously shook my head.

"Nebula... I honestly don't know what the hell happened to me," I said, backing away as she marched towards me. "The other day – I – I don't know what came over me," I whispered.

"You do understand it is physically impossible for _you_ to overpower _me_, don't you?" She said bitterly as she held up her robotic arm. "A mere Terran cannot defeat me, a trained assassin, in a matter of days," she said, stopping in front of me.

"What are you trying to say?" I asked uneasily. I didn't understand what she was getting at. Was she just jealous or was something seriously wrong with me? None of this made any sense to me.

"There is more to you than meets the eye," she said with a glare. "If you don't know, then Ronan does. Either way, I will find out the truth. I always do," she muttered angrily before turning on her heel to leave.

I stood there alone looking around the room feeling completely lost. What the hell was Nebula talking about? I didn't just wake up one day and decide - "hey, I'm going to become really strong and kick Nebula's ass," - and it wasn't like I had undergone some crazy, robot surgery like she did. I would have remembered that…right? I glanced down at my body uneasily. _This is stupid_, I thought with an angry sigh. Nebula was just being jealous. If Ronan knew why I was becoming unnaturally strong, he would have said something to me about it. In fact, he hasn't commented on my training or progress at all.

He hasn't said a single word.

Not a single, _fucking_ word.

Wait…what _the fuck_ did he know?

When I walked into Ronan's room I discovered it was empty, so I sat on his bed and patiently waited for him to return. As I quietly thought to myself, I felt a knot forming in my stomach, making me feel sick with unease. I was dreading this conversation. What if he tells me I'm actually an alien and everything I knew about myself was a lie? Were my parents not human? Was it from the pills I took? No. Nebula would have told me if it was the pills. Maybe he really did perform some kind of robot surgery on me and I'm secretly metal underneath this skin. No. I can clearly see the veins underneath my pale skin. Then what was it?

I was lying down on his bed when I heard the door open, and I slowly sat up and found him smirking at me from the doorway. I shuddered when I saw him dressed in his full armor and face paint because he appeared much scarier now than he did last night. _This is going to be hard._ He slowly closed the door behind him and placed the large hammer on the floor.

"Eager for more, are we?" he said, sauntering towards me. I held up my hands, making him stop and stare at me with confusion.

"I want to know the truth, Ronan. How am I able to defeat Nebula?" I asked in a quiet, yet determined voice.

I watched as his expression transformed from confused to irritated and cautious. It suddenly became very clear that Ronan did indeed know what was happening to me. I could already feel the anger bubbling up inside of me.

"Ronan, tell me," I urged, feeling my whole body go tense. He stared at me for a moment with clear annoyance written all over his face, but he also looked like he was thinking about something that worried him. Just when I thought I couldn't handle the suspense any longer, he slowly walked over to the bed and sat down next to me, but his eyes remained on the floor.

"When you were hit by the meteoroid…" he began slowly, "your body was far more damaged than I led you to believe," he continued quietly, still looking away from me. My heart thudded heavily in response.

"What did you do to me?" I asked, now shaking with anger.

"Steps had to be taken to ensure your survival," he said in a quiet tone, avoiding my question.

"Tell me what you did!" I yelled as tears dampened my cheeks.

He spun at me as if he was going to shout in response, but his eyes immediately softened when we made eye contact. After a few seconds his brow furrowed and his mouth slackened in defeat.

"I gave you a blood transfusion with my blood," he said, his voice growing lower as he spoke.

"You did… what…" I said shocked.

_I was not expecting that._


	10. Part I: Chapter 10

_**Chapter song: Ghost of Love by Marie Fisker**_

* * *

He couldn't possibly mean what I think he means. He is an alien. I am human. My body would have rejected his blood. Back home I was told that if something ever happened to me, it would be hard enough finding blood for me because I was blood type O, and that was living among humans! What he was talking about simply wasn't possible.

"By blood transfusion you mean…" I said, feeling more confused by the second.

"The blood which runs through your veins is the same as mine," he said sounding irritated.

My mouth dropped open at his words. _Well, never mind then._

"You would not have lived otherwise," he said quietly before looking back down at the floor.

"Not only did my blood heal you, but it enhanced your human anatomy, as well," he said after a few seconds of silence. "Your strength, durability, and reflexes will continue to improve," he said proudly as he turned to face me.

He frowned slightly when he looked at my face. I felt like I was going to faint at any second. Honestly, what did he expect? This kind of news was a little overwhelming.

"Did you know what it would do to me? Am I going to turn blue?" I asked seriously. The corner of Ronan's mouth twitched at my last question like he wanted to laugh.

"I am almost certain you will not turn blue," he said slowly under his breath. "And truthfully, I did not know what would come to pass, but it was the only viable option. Clearly, I made the right choice," he said confidently as he watched me take it all in.

"So," I began quietly. "What's going to happen to me now? Am I going to wake up one day with arms like yours?" I asked, laughing nervously as I poked his arm. His face seemed to relax at my small jester.

"You need not worry about that," he said smirking. "Your appearance shall not change. Your strength will reach a plateau after the blood has penetrated every cell in your body. It should not be much longer now. Also, you should be pleased to know your body is no longer susceptible to poisons, toxins, or disease," he said casually, as if this wasn't a big deal at all.

"One of the many advantages of being a Kree," he said with gleaming eyes as he watched my mouth drop open once again.

"Wow," I whispered with shock. This was absolutely, fucking crazy. How was this even possible? Was I even considered human anymore? I continued sitting there with my head in my lap, trying to process everything he just told me, while Ronan sat quietly next to me.

I began trying to recall everything that happened since the night of the meteoroid, and a horrible thought crossed my mind. Only a couple of nights after I woke up from the crash, I began developing an attraction for Ronan. Was that because of his blood? Even at this very moment I was drawn to him like a moth to a flame. It _has_ to be the blood. That would explain why I jumped so eagerly into bed with him. If that was true, did he know all along? Was this some trick to get me into bed with him?

But…

Maybe he didn't tell me because it would prove he did care for me after all. Why else would he save me and lie to me about it? He filled my body up with his _blood _for crying out loud. That went beyond personal – and that was not something to be taken lightly. Then again, this is a man who destroyed an entire planet and killed billions of people, so maybe I was expecting too much from him. Maybe he really was tricking me after all, and maybe I really was an idiot for believing he cared about me.

"Silvia," Ronan said quietly, bringing me out of my thoughts.

I turned my head to look at him and saw his brow furrow with worry as he examined my face. I noticed I was breathing quite heavily from the anger and betrayal I felt. Just looking at him made me feel even more furious.

"You took advantage of me," I said, jumping up from the bed in a heated fury.

"What?" He muttered as he stared at me with blatant confusion.

"Your blood somehow manipulated my feelings for you, didn't it? That's why you didn't tell me! You tricked me into your bed," I shouted, my voice breaking at the end with emotion. I angrily wiped my tears away as I turned to run to my room. I had to get away from him.

Before I could even take five steps, Ronan quickly wrapped his arm around me from behind, successfully pinning my arms to my sides.

"Don't fucking touch me!" I yelled as I struggled against his hold.

In response he tightened his grip around me, causing my back to dig into his armored chest. I could feel and hear his hot, angry breaths above my head as he pulled me tighter against him, and I felt myself become instantly frightened. When he began pulling me backwards to the bed I began kicking and screaming madly.

"No! Let go of me!" I screamed, my anger suddenly replaced with fear. A second later I was roughly pushed to the bed with Ronan pinning my arms at my sides.

"How dare you accuse me of such deceit? Do you truly believe your _feelings_ would have stopped me from forcing myself upon you?" He hissed vehemently into my face.

"I have no reason to manipulate your mind. I could take you right now if I so wished, but I am not the monster you believe me to be. Your feelings for me are of your own doing. Do not be a fool, Silvia," he said seriously as his eyes burned angrily into mine.

"No," I said, shaking my head in defiance. "I gave you my virginity and I hardly even know you. That's not like me at all! It has to be the blood," I said stubbornly as I turned my face away from him.

"No," he said gruffly, letting go of my arms to grab my face with both hands.

"You desired me when you first laid eyes upon me. Do not deny it," he hissed as I slightly shook my head. "I could practically _smell_ your arousal that first night, even as you cried pitifully at my feet," he said smugly, his eyes narrowing slightly at the thought.

"Even now you desire me," he said confidently as his fingers trailed down my neck. My eyes naturally closed at his light touch and my head slightly tilted to the side to give him better access. _Damn him and his magical fingers_, I thought.

"Do not try to blame your attraction for me on my blood. Believe me when I say I have researched the subject, and it is not possible. I will not let you run from this, Silvia," he said in a low voice as he continued to stroke my neck.

I remained silent as I was unable to come up with something clever to say back. His fingers were really distracting me at the moment.

"Your body yearns for my touch," he whispered seductively. "When I kiss you here…" he said before pressing his lips to my lower neck. "…your heart skips a beat," he said as my breath hitched in my throat.

"And here…" he said as he lowered his mouth to my collarbone. "…I can feel you tighten around me," he said, his voice rough with lust.

Sure enough, I felt my core become achingly tight, causing me to shudder. I had to admit it was actually a major turn-on watching Ronan play my body like an instrument. He seemed to understand it better than I did myself. As I felt my panties become wet, I opened my eyes to look up at Ronan. He had his eyes closed and his nostrils were slightly flared as he deeply inhaled.

"Your sweet, wet slit is begging for me to ravage you," he said darkly as his eyes roamed my body. He was staring at me with burning desire, looking as if he wanted to rip my clothes off, and I was certain that was exactly what he intended on doing.

"No," I said slightly dazed. "I can't do this anymore, Ronan," I whispered, pulling myself out of his seductive trance. His mouth twitched in annoyance at my words.

"These mind games are driving me crazy. I know you care about me. You wouldn't have given me your blood if you didn't. Please, just tell me," I said quietly as my eyes began to tear up again. I watched as Ronan's mouth frowned with displeasure and his body became tense all over.

"No," he said in a stern voice as he grabbed my wrists again, pinning them by my head. "You are my prisoner and a _fool_ if you believe otherwise," he said becoming angry.

"No! That's bullshit! You didn't tell me what you did because you knew it would give your secret away. You _do_ care about me. You're just too afraid to admit it. You say you won't let _me_ run from this – well I'm not letting _you_ run either," I said loudly as Ronan glared at me from above.

"I am afraid of nothing and I do _not_ care for you. I'm warning you –," he growled, lowering his face so it was only inches away from mine. I could almost feel the heat radiating from his eyes as they burned into mine with fierce, biting rage.

"You are a lying coward!" I yelled angrily, interrupting him as tears escaped the corners of my eyes. Ronan roughly grabbed me by the front of my shirt and lifted me off the bed, holding me in front of him.

"Call me coward again, and you will be sorry," he hissed harshly into my face, causing me to cringe. I could feel the sleeves on my shirt beginning to rip from his tight grip.

"Why won't you admit it, Ronan? Everything you have done just proves I am more than a prisoner to you. I sleep in the room next to yours – you saved my life TWICE – you filled me with your _blood_ – oh, and I suppose you _fuck_ all your prisoners, too?" I said bitterly, shaking slightly from anger.

"Your desperate attempt to find affection where it does not exist is disgusting," he said, spitting the last word with contempt. I shook my head in disbelief at him.

"The only thing disgusting here is you, you fucking coward," I said bravely as his face contorted with rage. I honestly didn't know why I was provoking him, and I instantly regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth.

His eyes widened, revealing his now darkening purple irises, and I unknowingly began to tremble with fear. He bared his black teeth at me in a furious scowl as he slung me by my shirt, instantly ripping it from my body in the process, and I went stumbling a few feet towards the bathroom. I quickly regained my balance and scampered into the bathroom, swiftly closing and locking the door behind me. Looking around the room, I could easily see there was nowhere for me to hide. When I reached the left corner of the bathroom I heard a loud, splintering crack as Ronan kicked the door down with his foot.

He stormed into the room and headed straight for me, glaring at me with his head tilted downwards, looking absolutely terrifying.

"Wait," I said panicking, holding my hands up in surrender. As he continued advancing towards me, I dashed to his side in an attempt to run past him, but was quickly grabbed by the back of my neck.

Immediately I began trying to escape, but his grip around my neck was painfully tight and unbreakable. He held me with his arm fully extended so I was unable to reach behind me to hit him. The fact that I couldn't see what he was doing was making me more terrified by the second.

"Let go of me! You've proved your point, Ronan," I grunted as his fingers dug into my neck. He began walking to the middle of the room, forcing me to stagger along with him, and a few seconds later I heard water running in the tub behind me.

"What are you doing?" I yelled as I tried harder to run away. His tight grip made it impossible for me to even turn my head a centimeter to the side. I really didn't like not being able to see him.

"You're scaring me! Let go," I cried, hearing only the sound of water filling the tub.

After a couple of minutes Ronan roughly grabbed me by my hair, causing me to yelp in pain, and directed me towards the tub. He growled frustratedly when I placed my feet against the side of the tub, preventing him from pulling me any closer.

"Stop it!" I cried as he pulled harder on my hair, causing me to lose my footing on the tub.

I saw that the tub was almost completely full as he pushed me forward, leaning the top half of my body over the edge. I stared wide eyed into the water as my hands clung desperately to the side, preventing me from falling over. I felt his grip tighten in my hair to the point where I was sure he was going to pull my hair out, and I began whimpering in fear. I could hear him breathing noisily behind me with suppressed rage as he continued holding me above the water by my hair.

"What are –," I began screaming, before my head was plunged into the water. My sinuses instantly burned as water forced its way into my nose, sending me into panic mode.

Immediately I began fighting and kicking like mad, but his grip on my hair prevented me from moving much. I knew it was futile to fight against Ronan, but my survival instincts were not going to let me give up. My fingernails clawed at his hand as hard as I could and immediately Ronan slammed my face into the bottom of the tub, causing me to gasp in pain. At that moment, I accidently inhaled water, instantly causing my body to cough to expel the unwanted fluid. As my lungs began burning for air, I was unexpectedly pulled up from the water by my hair. I began coughing loudly as the water worked its way out of my system and I took deep breaths as Ronan continued holding me above the water.

"Rona –," I yelled, before once again being plunged into the water.

Again, I struggled against him as hard as I could, but my attempts were useless. Even as I dug my nails into his hand for the second time, he only pushed my face harder into the metallic tub until it felt like my cheekbone was going to crack. As soon as I stopped digging into his hand, he stopped pushing down on my head. The only thing I could do was kick at him, but my legs were so short that they weren't even touching the floor as I was bent over the deep tub. I desperately pulled at his hand as my body began convulsing for air, and soon I heard myself begin to make unfamiliar groaning sounds. Right before I thought I couldn't hold my breath any longer, I was once again roughly pulled out of the water. I gasped loudly for air, inhaling greedily as soon as I was able to, and attempted to steady my breathing.

"Please st –," I begged, again being cut off as my head was forced under water.

I screamed underneath the water with renewed frustration, all the while wasting precious oxygen. After only twenty seconds or so my abdominal muscles began convulsing as I fought the urge to inhale. I groaned underneath the water in desperation and stopped moving to conserve the remaining oxygen in my body, but I knew I wouldn't last much longer. Five seconds later, when I was certain I was going to drown, Ronan pulled my head from the water. Again, I gasped for air and clung desperately to the edge of the tub, although I knew it wouldn't stop Ronan from pushing me under again. My heart was beating frantically in my chest, causing me to breathe faster than normal.

"No more, please," I cried as my face dangled above the water. I heard Ronan exhale angrily before he once again pushed me underwater.

This is it. I am going to die. Here in this bath tub, I am going to drown to death. Thoughts like these circulated my mind as I writhed underwater, fighting to keep my mouth and nose closed. My hands pushed against the bottom of the tub, but it did me no good. I was utterly helpless against Ronan. I was at his mercy. He could do whatever he wanted to me, and I couldn't stop him – even if my life depended on it. I had never felt so worthless in my life. He continued holding me under water well beyond the point when my body started convulsing, and I became convinced he really was going to drown me this time. I inhaled after I could no longer hold my breath, and instantly my lungs and throat felt like they were on fire. Almost immediately Ronan grabbed me by the back of my neck and lifted me from the water, forcing me onto my knees in front of the tub.

I coughed violently as water left my lungs and sinuses, and inhaled loudly at the first chance I got. The inside of my throat was horribly sore, making it feel like I had the worst case of strep throat. I continued gasping and panting for air as Ronan tightly held me by the back of my neck, preventing me from looking at him. When I was finally able to breathe normally again, Ronan tightly gripped my hair, instantly turning me into an emotional, hysterical mess.

I began sobbing harder than I ever had before in my life as Ronan pushed me back over the edge of the tub. It felt as if I had been reduced to nothing more than his toy to play with. His property. No, his _prisoner_. I wailed in utter defeat and humiliation, feeling as pathetic as I sounded. I continued crying uncontrollably as I waited for him to push me underwater, but it never came. He pulled me back and forced me onto my knees so I was kneeling next to him, and turned my head in his direction. As soon as I saw his face I began crying harder and closed my eyes in shame.

"Open your eyes," he demanded harshly as he kneeled next to me. I slowly opened my stinging, puffy eyes as my body shook with sobs I couldn't suppress.

"Please," I wailed desperately. I wasn't sure what I was asking for; I just knew I didn't want to go back into the water. I didn't want Ronan to be mad at me. I didn't want to be in _pain_ anymore.

His eyes scanned my face, his own reflecting no ounce of emotion whatsoever. He looked cold and calculating, as if he was completing an important task. His eyes lowered to my trembling lips, and he quickly pushed me away from him, causing me to fall backwards onto my side.

"Leave, now," he said in a deep voice, standing up so he towered over me. I lied on the cold floor in just my bra and shorts, crying and shaking in relief when I realized he was done tormenting me.

"Get out!" He shouted angrily when I didn't move.

I hurriedly began to stand up, only to fall back down to my hands and knees when I slipped on the wet tile. I continued crawling away from him until I could regain my footing, and quickly ran to my room and slammed the door behind me.

He is wrong.

He _**is**_ a monster.

And I am an idiot.

I sat in my bed and stared at the wall in silence, feeling completely stupid for believing Ronan would admit his feelings for me. I truly was desperate for affection. That was the one thing he was actually right about, and I should have listened to him. Why did I have to go and provoke him like that? I should have known better. Even after today, I couldn't bring myself to hate him. I knew he was trying to prove I meant nothing to him, but if that were true, then he should have killed me.

What was _wrong_ with me? Why was I still trying to find the good in him? He was cruel. Perverse. Unforgiving. Vicious. Dangerous.

I should hate him, but I didn't. I couldn't.

It felt like I had been sitting on that bed for hours when Nebula walked in carrying my dinner. She looked at me curiously as she placed the tray on my nightstand and promptly walked over to my side of the bed, stopping in front of me.

"What happened?" She asked with an annoyed sigh. I looked up at her from the bed and saw her cock her head to the side in interest.

"He told you, didn't he?" She asked seriously, her voice growing quieter. I nodded my head slightly. She quickly sat down next to me on the bed and turned her body towards mine.

"Tell me," she said urgently as I stared straight ahead.

"He gave me his blood," I said shakily, unable to hide the sadness I felt. I turned to watch Nebula's reaction, expecting her to look surprised or repulsed, but she appeared more annoyed than anything else.

"I should have thought of that," she muttered irritably. Her eyes narrowed slightly in thought as she looked at me.

"I would not speak of this to anyone tomorrow," she said seriously. "In fact, do not mention this ever again," she said quietly.

"Tomorrow… what's happening tomorrow?" I asked, my brow furrowing with confusion. Nebula rolled her eyes at my question.

"He really doesn't tell you anything does he?" She asked in a sarcastic voice. "We are going to Kree-Lar," she said tiredly. "It's the capitol of the Kree Empire," she added quickly when she noticed my puzzled expression.

"Get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day," she said unhappily, obviously not looking forward to tomorrow at all. I watched her walk out of the room and felt myself become sad all over again.

I was going to an alien planet tomorrow. A planet filled with other blue-skinned aliens just like Ronan. Great. Even though I had been living on a spaceship for a month, it still felt bizarre to think I was going to another _planet_. What would my parents think right now? Oh, no. My parents. They probably think I'm dead. Here I am worrying about myself when they are probably back home still looking for me, waiting for me to walk through the front door at any minute. I walked into the bathroom and absently began stripping my clothes off, feeling suddenly depressed about everything in my life.

I was falling for a man who treated me like shit, I was probably never going to see my parents again, and I had absolutely no control over my life whatsoever. For the tiniest moment I thought I might have a chance at happiness, but Ronan quickly demolished that dream. I was like his little puppet and he was the puppeteer, pulling on my strings and directing me which way to go, and I couldn't do a thing to stop him.

Tears began to cloud my vision as I stepped into the shower, and I knew it was only a matter of seconds before my emotional hysteria caught up to me. My throat slowly began to tighten up as I fought back the screams of rage, defeat, and humiliation that begged to be heard. As the lump in my throat became more constricting, my stomach began to form a knot as well, and at that moment, I reached my breaking point. Almost out of nowhere, I screamed at the top of my lungs as if I had gone insane. It was a long, primal scream of loss and sadness, and it was terrifying to listen to. As the last air left my lungs, I inhaled loudly and immediately began wailing with a desperation I had never heard before. It felt as if my heart was breaking in two.

I leaned against the wall with my forehead resting on my arm, and listened to the sound of my angry sobs echo around the shower. The warm water from the showerhead rained down on me, thankfully keeping my face clear from the snot and tears that should have been there. I probably looked more pathetic than a lost puppy in the rain. I hated that Ronan could do this to me. I should be stronger than this.

Suddenly, I felt large, warm fingers tenderly brush my arm, causing me to gasp with surprise. My eyes instantly opened and I saw Ronan standing naked only a foot away from me. I backed away from him into the corner of the shower and mustered up what little courage I had left.

"Get out of here!" I shouted, sounding braver than I felt. I looked up into his face and saw him staring at me with clear disappointment. His mouth slightly turned down as he watched me tremble with fear before him.

"Silvia," he said softly as he stepped closer. I heard myself whimper before I could stop myself, and this caused Ronan to stop and sigh in a frustrated manner.

"I never should have allowed that to happen," he said seriously, slowly stepping closer to me. "I lost control, and I apologize for that." I began furiously shaking my head and held my hands up as he continued to approach me.

"No, Ronan. You can't just do whatever you want to me and expect me to forgive you," I said, my voice shaking with unexpected fury. "You've hurt me so _much_," I said, closing my eyes as my voice broke.

"I know," he said seriously, staring down at me with heavy eyes. He took another step closer and I immediately held my arms out to keep him from getting any closer to me.

"No! Go away! I've had enough of your lies!" I shouted at him angrily as I pushed against his torso. He continued advancing upon me, easily pushing past my weak barrier, and I began crying with renewed fear and anger.

"Get AWAY from me! No! S-stop," I cried desperately as he gently grabbed my face with both of his hands and tilted my head backwards. Through teary eyes I saw him staring at me with a look I had only seen once, a look of regret.

"I am sorry," he said softly, his brow furrowed and his face remorseful.

"Liar," I cried as I slapped him across the face. His facial expression remained the same, as if I had never even hit him, and this caused me to become even more furious.

I began punching and slapping him as hard as I could while I cried loudly with frustration. Ronan let go of my face and remained silent as I continuously hit him, my sobs growing louder with each strike. He closed his eyes and stood in front of me like I was his living punching bag, and I wondered why he was allowing this to happen. When I began growing tired and my hits became less often, Ronan opened his eyes to look down at me. I could detect the smallest amount of pity in his eyes as he watched me drop my arms down in defeat. His hands gently cupped my face once again so I was looking up at him. He slowly leaned in and pressed his forehead against mine, and closed his eyes.

"I am sorry, Silvia," he said quietly, his low voice barely audible in the shower.

"I know," I whispered sadly as I leaned into his chest from exhaustion.

I could not hate him.

* * *

**Author's note: Surprise! I was able to update much faster than expected.**

**I know that was a little sad... but we all know Ronan is not the mushy, feely type :( To say these two are complicated is an understatement. ****In case you missed it, Silvia is going to see where Ronan works - Kree-Lar! Should be interesting.**

_**UPDATE: I am sooo thankful for the reviews! I'm really happy everyone picked up on the whole Stockholm Syndrome case here. Silvia isn't behaving how you or I would in this situation - obviously, because we haven't been through what she has. Now as far as her forgiving him - technically she hasn't forgiven him. I left it off with "I know" for a reason. Things are not just going to be all sunshine and daises. **__**I think the next chapter will clear this up for many of you.**_

**Reviews are always welcome! Thanks for being so supportive :)**


	11. Part I: Chapter 11

_**Chapter song: Lie Awake by Angel Snow**_

* * *

As I leaned into Ronan, I couldn't help but wonder how exactly I had gotten to this point in my life. I had always considered myself a strong woman, and certainly never would have tolerated the type of abuse Ronan inflicted upon me today from any other man. I knew I should run away as far as possible, yet I remained leaning into him, ironically being comforted by his strong, warm body. There was something about him that pulled me in and kept me tangled in his web.

He was my pain. My ecstasy. My existence.

And without him, I was alone.

When my skin began to prune, I turned around and twisted the handle to the showerhead, successfully cutting the water off. Without looking at Ronan, I slowly stepped out of the shower and headed towards the towel cabinet. I could hear his heavy footsteps closely behind me as I wrapped myself in a towel and continued walking over to the sink.

The silence between us was uncomfortable and awkward, and immediately I was reminded of my previous boyfriends and the fights I had with them. When I made that connection, it became obvious that the tension Ronan and I were experiencing now was no different than what a couple would feel after an argument. I guess in a way, we were in a relationship – however twisted it may be – and we just had our first major fight.

As I started to brush my teeth, I could see Ronan in my peripheral vision, closely watching me from the side. The only sound that filled the room was the sound of me brushing my teeth and Ronan's watchfulness was beginning to make me nervous. I appreciated the fact that he apologized for what he did, but I was still upset and needed time to move on. The last thing I needed was him hovering over me watching my every move.

After brushing my teeth, I walked by him still avoiding his gaze, and entered my bedroom. I slipped under the silky covers on my bed and watched as Ronan sat down next to me. As my eyes drifted to his face, I saw him staring at me with such intensity I had to look away because it honestly felt like he was trying to read my mind.

"You cannot stay mad at me forever," he said in a low, serious voice.

"I'm not mad, Ronan. I'm _hurt_. Apologies can't fix everything," I said with a sigh. He narrowed his eyes in frustration as he glanced around the room and appeared to be at a loss for words.

"I do not know what you want from me," he hissed quietly before looking back at me.

"You do know," I whispered as I fiddled with my bed sheets.

Ronan growled with annoyance and stood up from the bed, causing me to look up. He glared down at me with irritation written all over his face and continued to slowly pace next to me.

"Your presence is quite inconvenient," he muttered as he continued walking back and forth beside my bed.

"If I'm so inconvenient, then let me go," I said loudly, causing him to stop and look at me seriously.

"No," he said almost immediately, which caused me to cock my eyebrow at him. He glanced away irritably before continuing his pacing next to me.

"Tomorrow –" he began loudly.

"Kree-Lar. I know. Nebula told me," I said under my breath. Ronan stopped and turned to glare at me, clearly annoyed with me interrupting him. I motioned with my hands for him to continue, which caused him to further narrow his eyes at me.

"Tomorrow you will speak to no one, unless instructed to or asked a question. You will stay by my side at all times. If asked, you will tell them you are my attendant," he said in a commanding tone.

"But I thought I was your prisoner," I said defiantly as I looked up at him.

"You are, but unless you wish to spend your time in the dungeons, I would refrain from using that term. The Kree do not treat prisoners too kindly," he said seriously.

"Great," I said uneasily as I pulled the sheets up to my chin. Ronan sat down next to me and leaned in closer to me.

"Follow my instructions and all will go according to plan," he said as his hand inched towards my thigh.

I rolled away from him onto my side, not at all in the mood to be touched. I felt him stand up from the bed, and a moment later I watched as he walked into his bedroom without another word or glance in my direction.

The next morning I was shaken awake by Nebula who was standing over me, holding what appeared to be a mask in front of my face. It looked similar to the type of mask I wore once when I went paintballing, and the thought of that almost made me smile as I was reminded of happier days.

"You must wear this when we are outside of the ship, although, technically you don't need it," she said with a smirk.

"If I don't need it then why do I have to wear it?" I asked tiredly as I rubbed my eyes.

"Because Ronan has ordered you to," she said cocking her head to the side. She tossed the mask in my lap and began walking towards the door.

"You have thirty minutes to be ready. Don't be late or else you risk angering Ronan," she said over her shoulder. I was already making my way to the bathroom as the door closed behind her.

Within thirty minutes I was showered and dressed in my skin-tight, one-piece suit and tall, black boots. As I was trying to figure out how to tighten the mask around my face, my door opened and Ronan briskly walked into the room. His eyes wrinkled with amusement as they roamed up and down my body, and I felt my stomach begin to tighten with unexpected nervousness. When he stopped in front of me, he gently grabbed me by my shoulders and turned me around so my back was to him. His hands began working on the straps on my mask, pulling the device tighter to my face until it made a hissing sound, and right away I felt oxygen begin to flow through the vent. Goosebumps began to spread across my skin as his large fingers gently grazed the back of my neck, pushing my hair over my shoulder.

I turned around to face him again and saw him staring down at me, but his expression appeared to be more serious than it had been before.

"You will not remove this mask until I instruct you to do so. Do not speak with anyone unless spoken to, and do _not_ leave my side. Do you understand?" He asked seriously as he tilted his head down at me.

"Yes, I understand," I said tiredly, my voice mechanically altered by the mask. Ronan nodded his head and turned to walk out of the room, motioning with his hand for me to follow him.

As we maneuvered our way through the complex hallways of the ship, Nebula appeared and walked at my side in silence. My eyes never left Ronan's back as we continued walking through the dimly-lit ship, and I truly wished he would turn around and reassure me that everything would be fine. My stomach was in knots as we approached a large door, making me feel like I was going to vomit at any second, and cold sweat began to trickle down the back of my neck. I began to nervously fidget with my hands out of habit as we came closer to the door that led to my new home.

"Pull yourself together, Terran," Nebula said quietly as we came to a stop. I watched as Ronan's head jerked to the side as if he had heard her, but he quickly looked forward as the door to outside opened up.

Immediately white light filled the hallway, which caused me to squint my eyes because I was not accustomed to such brightness. Ronan continued walking forwards, and I hesitantly followed behind him as I began frantically blinking my eyes, trying to adjust to the brightness which seemed to engulf me. As we stepped through the door, my mouth dropped open as I took in my surroundings, and I was grateful that the lower half of my face remained hidden behind my mask.

We were walking down a long, metal ramp and lined along both sides were large men wearing obvious military uniforms. Their bodies were covered with shiny, silver armor that seemed to cling to their skin and on their heads they wore bright green helmets which reminded me of ancient Spartan soldiers. They wore matching green armor along their shoulders, wrists, and around their waists, where small weapons hooked onto their belts. They were large and blue like Ronan, but a few of them had skin the same color as mine which was really confusing.

I looked into the large crowd of people which now surrounded us and sure enough, the majority of the Kree had Caucasian skin. I also noticed that many of them were not as tall as Ronan, nor were they as large in frame, but they were still clearly much bigger than me. The Kree began shouting and cheering Ronan's name as if he were a hero, and I watched with awe as they gazed upon him with apparent love and devotion. Seeing him being admired by so many left me feeling confused, but also strangely proud. The crowd parted as we continued to walk towards a white, dome-shaped building, and I could feel their eyes on me the entire time, undoubtedly asking the same question I had been asking myself for a month – _what was I doing here? _

My eyes remained glued to Ronan's back as we made our way into the building, because I was too afraid to look anywhere else. The sound of the cheering crowd disappeared as heavy doors closed behind us, and now the only sound that filled my ears were our footsteps echoing off the metallic walls. Guards at the end of the hallway saw Ronan approaching and immediately opened the doors for us. As we walked into the large room, I saw a long, impressive stone table, and seated at it were dozens of important-looking Kree. Most of them were blue and wearing red uniforms, but a few of them were Caucasian and were seated at the end of the table.

Upon Ronan's entrance, everyone in the room stood up from their chairs and turned to face him, except for the man sitting at the head of the table. The man had blue skin like Ronan and on his head he had four black lines of paint drawn down his forehead, with two stripes on each side, and one across each cheekbone. The red, thick robes he wore appeared to be extremely heavy and had a regal quality about them. On his left shoulder there was a golden brooch which connected his outer robe to the red armor he wore upon his shoulders, giving him the appearance of a king.

As we approached the table I noticed many of the men were now staring at Nebula and I curiously, obviously trying to figure out how we were connected to Ronan. The man at the head of the table lazily turned his head to look at us and raised his eyebrows skeptically at Nebula and I as we came closer. Ronan stopped within a few feet of the man and knelt down on one knee, while he held his hammer in his right hand.

"Imperial Minister Hal-Dan," Ronan said, lowering his head as a sign of respect.

The Imperial Minister motioned with his hand for him to stand up, and Ronan quickly moved towards the empty chair to his right. Judging by his position at the table, I concluded that Ronan must hold an important position in his government. As he began to sit down, he made a hand signal at Nebula, and she immediately tugged on my arm and led me to the wall behind Ronan, where we stood in silence and watched the men converse.

"Ronan, we are pleased by your return. We heard a group of outlaws momentarily interrupted your plans. We were _quite_ worried," Hal-Dan said in a mocking tone. I could not see Ronan's face, but I could tell from his body language that he was not amused by the Imperials' snide remark.

"They were treacherous scum and ran like vermin the second I came in possession of the orb. It was a pity they escaped Xandar before its' obliteration, however, I am certain they will show their cowardice faces again, and when that time comes, they will experience Kree justice once and for all," he said as he placed his hammer upon the table in front of him.

_Wait, so that man who offered to help me – oh, what was his name – Peter? He was alive after all? _I suddenly felt ten times lighter, as if a heavy weight of guilt had been lifted off my shoulders.

Every man, including the Imperial Minister, eyed the purple gem in Ronan's hammer with curiosity but I also detected unease and hesitation in many of their faces.

"What is it?" Imperial Hal-Dan said, intrigued as he looked between the gem and Ronan.

"An infinity stone," Ronan replied with obvious pride. The table erupted with murmurings and whispers at the news, and Hal-Dan straightened himself up as he looked back at the gem.

"And you believe you should continue to possess it?" Hal-Dan said quietly, causing the men at the table to become silent and stare at the two men.

"Yes," Ronan said in a low voice. "As Supreme Accuser, it is my right to possess such a weapon, is it not? A weapon that evokes fear simply upon utterance of its name belongs in my hands, because I am the one responsible for enforcing the laws of our people. A great responsibility such as this requires a great weapon," he said with confidence.

Many of the men nodded their heads in agreement as Ronan finished speaking, including the Imperial Minister, although he didn't look too happy about it.

"Yes, very well," Hal-Dan said as he looked around the table. "And what of them?" He asked, pointing his finger in our direction. "Why have you brought outsiders to our capital?"

"They contributed to the destruction of Xandar, and thus, have proven themselves worthy of serving me," Ronan said as he stared directly at Hal-Dan.

Although I could not see the look Ronan was giving the Imperial Minister, I could tell it must have been extremely intimidating because Hal-Dan looked away after only a few seconds. The Imperial's gaze drifted over to me and his eyebrows furrowed with confusion as he took in my appearance.

"You," he said pointing at me. "Come here, now," he said in a commanding tone. Nebula nudged me in the back and forced me forward, and I unwillingly began making my way towards him.

As I approached Hal-Dan's right, I hesitantly looked down at Ronan and noticed his eyes were narrowed with suspicion as he looked back and forth between the Imperial and me. When I stopped in front of Hal-Dan, I copied Ronan and went down to one knee and lowered my head. Hal-Dan's hand motioned for me to stand up, and immediately I stood up and locked my eyes on the floor, too scared to look him in the eyes. I didn't know what the hell I was doing here.

"Remove your mask. I wish to see the face of Ronan's _worthy_ attendant," he said as he eyed me up and down with mistrust. My gaze drifted to Ronan's face as I remembered he instructed me to only remove the mask when he ordered me to.

"I assure you the air is safe to breathe within these walls," Imperial Hal-Dan said with slight annoyance. Ronan stiffly nodded his head once in my direction, and I quickly began loosening the straps on my mask.

The second my mask was removed, Hal-Dan elevated his brow and his mouth turned down as if he was genuinely surprised. I slowly looked around the table and saw the men staring at me with similar looks, obviously intrigued and roused by my presence. One light-skinned man at the end of the table was giving me a wolfish grin which instantly made my cheeks feel as if they were on fire. I nervously looked down at the floor and began playing with my hands behind my back.

"Do not be embarrassed, girl. You have managed to fluster my finest men, and that in itself is a great accomplishment. I can see why Ronan wishes to keep you around," Hal-Dan said with amusement.

"And what exactly will she be _attending_ to, Ronan?" Hal-Dan asked seriously with a hint of suggestiveness. Several men at the table sniggered at his question, and I felt my cheeks burn even hotter in response.

Ronan looked at the men who laughed and they instantly quieted down.

"She will serve as my translator," he said curtly. _What the hell could I possibly translate?_ It was very hard at that moment to maintain a neutral facial expression.

"Now if that is all, I have important matters to attend to," Ronan said as he looked at Hal-Dan with clear agitation.

"There will be a feast held tonight in your honor. We look forward to seeing you two there," Hal-Dan said with a smirk as Ronan stood up from the table.

Nebula and I followed closely behind Ronan as we made our way out of the room and into the large, ominous hallway. I began sliding the mask over my face as we approached the doors that led to outside.

"Forget the damn mask," Ronan said heatedly over his shoulder, causing me to stop and stare with confusion. Nebula smirked at me as she continued walking forward, obviously amused by Ronan's outburst.

When we exited the building, the large, excited crowd once again began chanting Ronan's name. I saw many of them whisper into each other's ears as they stared at me, but I pretended not to see them. We continued walking until a small ship, about the size of a car, lowered onto the ground before us. There were two seats in the front and back, but one of the seats in the front was already occupied by a pilot. Ronan sat down in the passenger seat, while Nebula and I jumped into the back seat.

As we ascended above the crowd and well into the air, I looked outside my window and gazed upon my new home, Kree-Lar. Everywhere I looked I saw metallic structures and dome-shaped buildings. There didn't appear to be any vegetation whatsoever, or water for that matter. Everything about this place was unnatural and extremely different from Earth, but there was something uniquely beautiful about it. Although it lacked nature, its impressive, modern architecture and technology left me feeling amazed nonetheless. It looked exactly how I imagined an alien planet to look, except better.

Our pilot directed us through the sky, zooming past other ships at speeds I couldn't even imagine, until we reached another large, dome-shaped building which was perched atop a stone hill. Its round, green roof glimmered in the sunlight, giving it the appearance of a beautiful, giant jewel.

When we exited the ship, guards were already waiting on both sides to escort us into the building. Two of the men walked ahead and opened the double doors for us, which led into a beautiful white hallway. The floors and walls were made of a gleaming, white stone which strongly resembled marble. We continued walking ahead while the guards remained posted by the door, which I was grateful for because their presence was extremely daunting.

The hallway opened up into a two-story room, with us being on the second floor, and in the middle there was a circular opening, guarded by stone railing which overlooked a courtyard. The hallway we were standing in circled the entire upper floor and served as a balcony as well. There were beautifully carved stairs in front of us that led into the courtyard below, but Ronan continued walking past the staircase and stopped at the first metallic door on his right.

"Nebula," he said motioning at the door with his hand. Nebula swiftly walked into the room and closed the door behind her. He continued walking around the circular hallway, and I followed behind him, becoming restless with curiosity.

"What is this place?" I asked as I scanned the large, round building. I leaned over the railing and looked down into the space below, and saw comfortable looking chairs and couches set up in a square formation.

"My home," he said without turning around. My eyes widened with surprise because I honestly wasn't expecting him to have such a beautiful house. This place was the complete opposite of his dark, fearsome ship.

He stopped in front of a door on the other side of the room, opposite from Nebula's door, and motioned with his hand for me to enter. I pushed the lever of the handle down and immediately the door slid open and disappeared into the door frame. As I stepped through, Ronan followed in behind me and the door quickly closed behind us on its own.

"You did well today," Ronan said to my back as I gawked at my new room.

"Hmm," I replied, too focused on my surroundings to pay attention to him.

The walls and floors were made of the same beautiful, white stone which made the room appear bright and cheerful. In the middle of the room there was a large window which overlooked the city, and filled the space with natural light. The king-sized bed was covered in silky light-grey sheets and the elaborate frame was carved out of a smooth, grey stone, and I instantly had the urge to rub my hand across it. As my fingers traced the impossibly soft stone, I noticed a door in front of me which I was sure led to a bathroom. I smiled with delight as I entered the room and saw a beautiful en suite bathroom, complete with a white, marble bathtub and shower.

"I take it you are happy with your accommodations," Ronan said over my shoulder, apparently agitated by my silence.

I turned around and smiled at him, completely forgetting that I was supposed to be upset with him. Ronan's eyes flickered with surprise at my open expression of happiness, and I immediately looked down at the floor and forced myself not to smile.

"Yes," I muttered quietly as my face remained down. He grabbed my chin and gently tilted my head backwards and stepped closer to me.

"You are a stubborn woman," he said in a serious tone, but his eyes gleamed with amusement. I jerked my head away from his hand, which only caused him to further smirk at me.

"My servants will provide you with more suitable garments and any other items you might require. At sun down I will return to retrieve you and escort you to the feast," he said looking down at me. I started to open my mouth to protest but he quickly interrupted me.

"There will be no discussion. Do not argue with me," he said in a deep voice before walking out of my room. I paced around the room pouting unhappily until a group of strange looking people walked in.

There were five of them and they were dressed in heavy, hooded black robes which reached the floor and gave them the appearance of monks. Their pallor made them appear sickly and the texture of their skin was bumpy and scarred. As I looked into their faces which were marked with black symbols, I sensed that these creatures were much older than I was, and they honestly gave me the creeps.

Three of them carried large handfuls of fabric, which I assumed were my new clothes, while the others carried an assortment of vials. The ones with the clothes walked over to the closet by my bed and began hanging the beautifully tailored clothes in order of color. From where I stood I could see dresses of blue, gold, and grey, each beautifully unique and extremely modern looking. There were also several pairs of shirts and pants, mostly grey and blue, but they were made of a thicker fabric and appeared more stylish than the clothes I was wearing now.

Two of the strange creatures walked over to me and one began unzipping my one-piece suit in the back, while the other removed it from my body. I stood there with wide eyes, unsure of what to do, and looked around the room uneasily. When I was completely nude, they led me into the bathroom where another one had already drawn a bath. I cautiously stepped into the water as I looked around at the female-like creatures, hoping I wasn't about to be killed in some strange sacrifice.

To my surprise, I felt hands begin to wash my hair and I purred as I felt their long nails scrape against my scalp. I closed my eyes and let my body relax as the odd servants continued washing my body. When they were done, I was guided out of the tub and led to the center of my room, where they began rubbing clear liquids over my body and soon I smelled like a bouquet of roses. They then began dressing me in a blue, fitted gown, while one of the servants gently braided my hair. One stood in front of me and held a black stick in front of my face, and carefully brushed two lines at the corner of each eye and on my bottom lid.

By the time they were done, the sun was beginning to set and I felt myself slowly becoming anxious about tonight's event. When the servants left, I walked over to the mirror in the corner of the room and gasped as I took in my appearance. It had been a long time since I had seen my reflection, and for a second I did not recognize myself in the mirror. My skin was creamier and paler than I remembered, and the blue in my eyes was now speckled with bright purple. To anyone else it might not be that noticeable, but to me it looked as if my eyes were glowing purple.

The black markings at the corner of my eyes gave me the appearance of an ancient Egyptian – well, if they happened to be blonde and pale. My hair was pulled up in an elaborate array of braids, but I could not see what it looked like in the back. My dress was short-sleeved and the shoulders of it pointed out slightly, making me appear stronger than I really was. It was modest in comparison to gowns back home, but it was skin-tight and clung to my body like an extra layer of skin, only accentuating my curves. Thankfully there was no cut in the front and the fabric reached the floor, so I didn't feel like a tramp wearing it. It was sophisticated, yet sexy – although, I don't think it was meant to be _this _sexy.

Ronan walked in as I stood in front of the mirror, and he stopped in his tracks when he saw me. His mouth slightly parted as his eyes scanned my body, and I instinctively looked down at the floor as I became embarrassed. He walked over to me and grabbed my face, and began unexpectedly kissing me with burning, hot passion.

"Mmmff – schtoppp," I mumbled against his lips as I pushed against his chest. I wiped my mouth and saw his black paint come off on my hand. He stepped back and looked down at me impatiently, his eyes still burning bright with desire.

"I'm not ready for that," I said feeling slightly flustered from Ronan's lack of control. I walked over to the window and looked out into the city which was beginning to glow with lights.

"When, then?" He asked impatiently as he stepped closer to me.

"When I trust you again," I said quietly, still facing the window. I heard Ronan exhale angrily in response.

"Come. It is time to go," he said quietly behind me. I turned around and saw him frowning at me, clearly unhappy with my decision to shut him out. I followed him when he turned around and walked at his side as we entered the hallway.

"So, how do I explain to these people that I'm your translator? What if they ask me to translate something?" I asked nervously.

"You do not need to explain yourself. If they ask, tell them I have prohibited you from discussing it. If they have a problem with that, they can speak with me," he said in a deep voice as we continued walking down the hall.

"What about my mask?" I asked confusedly as we exited the doors to the terrace. Ronan glanced down at me and grimaced with displeasure.

"They have seen your face. It does not matter now," he muttered irritably as we stepped inside the ship. Tonight Ronan was flying the ship instead of a pilot, so it was just me and him inside the tiny craft.

"What should I tell them when they ask me where I met you?" I said after a few seconds of silence.

"Knowhere. That is where we picked you up," he said looking over at me, smirking at my confusion.

"Nowhere…" I mumbled as I stared at him frustratedly.

"The name of the place is called Knowhere. We picked you up, you complied and supplied us with information which successfully led to Xandar's destruction. That is _all_ they need to know," he said, his voice laced with warning.

We didn't talk the rest of the way there.

When we arrived at our destination, I walked behind Ronan with my head slightly tilted down to avoid the attention of others. We walked into a large, elegant room, filled with at least fifty people who smiled and clapped as Ronan entered. In the middle of the room there was a long, wide table filled with decadent foods and pitchers of wine.

"Do not wander far from me," he said before he walked towards a group of people.

I slowly walked towards the table of food, unfortunately aware of every single stare I was receiving. I picked up a round, metal plate and filled it with an assortment of rich foods. My hands eagerly clasped one of the large pitchers of wine and filled my goblet almost to the brim. The room was filled with conversations and laughter, but no one approached me, so I walked over to a large pillar and leaned against it as I began eating my food and drinking my wine. After a few minutes, I saw a white Kree man heading in my direction, and I immediately recognized him.

He was the man who smiled suggestively at me earlier today. Now that I was actually looking at him, he was quite handsome. He had dark brown hair and bright blue eyes, and the fact that he looked human made my heart beat with excitement.

As he got closer he smiled at me, and I saw his familiar wide smile and cute dimples. I blushed as I looked away and took another sip from my goblet. The wine here was absolutely delicious, and making it a lot easier for me to ignore the stares I was getting from the men and women around me.

"Hello," he said as he propped his hand against the pillar by my face. He was not as tall as Ronan, but he was still extremely tall.

"Hi," I replied quietly, feeling nervous by his close proximity. I took another sip from my goblet, hoping the wine would help me relax.

"What is your name?" He asked with a smile.

"Tell me yours first," I said smiling back. _OK, maybe I should slow down on the wine. _

"I am Mac-Varr. I work in the Imperial Minister's office. Now I must know your name, sweet girl," he said flirtingly as he leaned in closer. As my cheeks began to grow warm, his smile grew wider and his eyes wrinkled with delight.

"Silvia," I replied shyly before looking around the room.

As I brought my almost-empty goblet up to my lips, I saw Ronan staring unhappily at me from across the room, and I instantly straightened up and looked away. Mac-Varr glanced behind him to see what caused my change in behavior, and he turned back around and smiled at me again.

"Would you like to take a walk with me?" He asked, unphased by Ronan's watchfulness.

"Sure, but I can't go far," I said quietly as I carefully avoided Ronan's gaze. Mac-Varr held out his arm and I linked mine through his like I had seen in old-fashioned movies.

He led me out onto the stone terrace where others had gathered as well. Several women turned to look at me and proceeded to whisper to their friends as if I weren't even there. It felt like high school all over again. I sighed frustratedly as we continued walking towards the railing, and Mac-Varr gave me a curious look when we stopped.

"Many are wondering how a beautiful creature such as yourself ended up in Ronan's hands. Jealous women, especially," he said with a smirk as he looked at a woman to my right.

She was tall, beautiful, and fierce, and she was looking right at me. Her long, black hair flowed straight down her back, and I noticed she was wearing military-type clothing instead of a dress. Her toned arms and legs could clearly be seen through the tight clothing she was wearing, and I honestly admired her strong physique. I looked back at Mac-Varr when I realized I had been staring for too long.

"Who is she?" I asked timidly as I nodded my head in her direction. Mac-Varr glanced in her direction and smirked at me with amusement.

"She was an interest of Ronan's for a long time. Her name is Jul-Linn, and she is not one you want to mess with sweet Silvia, especially after how things ended between the two," he said chuckling before he took a sip of his wine.

"What happened?" I asked curiously. He paused and looked at me before smiling.

"Someone was unfaithful," he said quietly into my ear. I felt my heart sink at his words as I looked back at the woman who was still staring at me intently. I winced as my stomach suddenly began cramping horribly.

"I think I'm ready to leave," I said quietly as I rubbed my lower stomach and began walking away.

"It would be my pleasure to escort you home," he said, quickly walking up to my side.

"OK," I said uneasily. "I don't know if Ronan will let me go with you, though," I whispered as I looked up at him. He gave me a devious smile before holding out his arm for me again.

"I do not think it will be an issue," he said winking at me before we walked back into the room.

As we approached Ronan's group, I looked up and saw him staring at me and Mac-Varr with forced disinterest. He looked at my arm linked with Mac-Varr's and I noticed his nostrils slightly flared and his eyes burned with barely contained rage.

"Ronan, if you don't mind I am going to escort Silvia home. She is not feeling too well," he said politely with a smile. Ronan glared at Mac-Varr with such hatred I wondered if I should just tell him to forget it, but Mac-Varr continued to smile at Ronan as if he didn't notice at all.

"Unless you are afraid something might happen to her?" Mac-Varr asked in a worried tone, but I got the impression he was mocking Ronan.

Ronan narrowed his eyes at Mac-Varr before he looked around and noticed people were beginning to stare at us.

"No. Take her," Ronan said in a rough voice as he looked down at me with contempt. He turned back around and continued speaking with his colleagues as if I weren't even there. _What the fuck was his problem? _

Mac-Varr smiled down at me reassuringly as I stared at him with confusion, and he quickly led me outside to his ship. We were on our way back to Ronan's house and I couldn't shake the feeling that Mac-Varr was hiding something from me. That exchange between him and Ronan left me feeling extremely anxious.

"What was that?" I asked looking over at Mac-Varr. He glanced in my direction and grinned mischievously, causing me to wrinkle my eyebrows with concern.

"Ronan and I…. let's just say we have history, as I'm sure you will soon find out," he said smiling over at me.

"What? Why didn't you tell me? I wouldn't have left with you if I knew it would make him mad," I said, becoming more puzzled by the second. We landed on Ronan's terrace at that moment, which allowed Mac-Varr to avoid answering my question.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Silvia," he said winking at me.

I glared at him as I stepped out of his ship and walked angrily towards the house, where guards already had the doors opened for me. I stomped past them and headed straight for my bedroom, wincing as the cramping in my stomach became more painful. I could feel a wetness forming in between my legs and I began frantically pulling my gown off of me as soon as I entered my bedroom. When my gown was fully removed, I entered the bathroom and looked down, and sure enough there was blood smeared along my inner thighs.

I immediately began taking off my soiled panties and threw them in the sink. As I began washing the blood out of them before they stained, Ronan abruptly walked into my bathroom, fuming with rage. When he saw the blood smeared between my thighs his eyes grew wide with horrible rage and fear, and he rushed forward and grabbed me by my upper arms.

"What did he do to you? I will kill him!" He growled furiously into my face as he held me.

"What? No! He didn't do anything. It's just my period, Ronan," I said, feeling absolutely mortified.

"Will you get out of here? I don't want you to see this," I said as I pulled at his hands. His look of anger was slowly replaced with utter confusion as he eyed me up and down, and he let go of my arms.

"What is happening to you?" He asked sounding slightly worried as I walked over to the shower.

"It's my menstrual cycle. It's normal, don't worry," I said tiredly as I turned the water on. Ronan continued to stare at me skeptically as I removed my bra and stepped into the shower.

"How often does this occur?" He asked seriously as he picked up my panties in the sink and inspected them closely.

"Will you STOP touching those," I yelled at him from inside the shower. He glanced at me irritably before dropping the panties back down into the sink.

"How often does this occur, Silvia?" He asked more forcefully as he walked over to the shower. He eyed me curiously as I washed the blood off in between my thighs.

"Every month. It lasts for about 5 days, sometimes more, sometimes less," I said quietly as I finished up and turned the water off. I jumped out and grabbed a towel from the cabinet, and hurriedly walked over to the toilet paper.

Ronan closely watched me as I made a small pad out of toilet paper, and followed me into the bedroom as I picked up a new pair of panties. As I began sliding the panties up my legs, I let my towel drop and Ronan stared appreciatively at my figure. I rolled my eyes at him and turned around so he couldn't see me slip the homemade pad into my panties.

"So did you just come here to stare at me or what?" I asked irritably as I remained turned around. He walked around me as I was drying my hair so he could look me in the eyes.

"I forbid you from ever speaking to Mac-Varr again," he said seriously, his eyes narrowing with anger.

"Forbid? You aren't my father, Ronan," I said angrily as I looked up at him. He immediately stepped forward, leaving no space in between us, and tugged backwards on my hair, but not with enough force to hurt.

"No, I am not," he growled lustfully as he leaned down.

His hand abruptly pulled my head to the side and his mouth fervidly captured my neck, instantly causing me to close my eyes and softly moan. I suddenly became aware of his right hand on my breast, squeezing and tugging on my nipple with expert skill. His kisses stopped almost as abruptly as they started, and he stared into my eyes with possessive desire as he held my chin.

"You belong to _me_, Silvia," he hissed before storming out of my room. I was left standing there speechless and slightly out of breath.

A part of me wished he had stayed so he could finish what he started, but I knew deep down that that wouldn't have fixed anything. He left me wanting more, and I was certain that he intended for that to happen.

No, I had to stay strong and make him work for it. I couldn't let myself give in so easily.

Not now.

* * *

**Author's Note: This chapter and the next chapter will be a little longer than most if you haven't noticed. I intended for more to happen in this chapter, but it was getting too long, so I saved it for the next. I hope you enjoy it! I'm having a lot of fun writing this and love watching Ronan and Silvia's relationship develop... although it's developing very, very slowly ;)**

**Thank you to all of the people who follow/favorite/review... it definitely helps keep me inspired!**


	12. Part I: Chapter 12

_**Chapter song: Smother by Daughter**_

* * *

Bright, warm light shined on my face the next morning, bringing me out of my peaceful slumber, and for the briefest moment I thought I was back home. I half expected to see my maid walk in carrying a plate of eggs benedict, or hear my mother complaining about the state of my hair, but when I opened my eyes, I was sadly reminded that I was very far from home.

It felt odd to not be forced out of bed by Nebula and I wondered where she was. After I showered and brushed my teeth, I wandered out into the hallway as my stomach began to growl from hunger. I looked over the railing into the courtyard below, and saw Nebula and Ronan discussing something that appeared very serious. Both looked up at the same time as they sensed my presence and immediately stopped talking.

"Um, good morning," I said hesitantly before making my way to the stairs.

"It is well past morning. You slept for a great deal of time," Ronan said as he watched me walk down the impressive stairs. He glanced at Nebula and nodded in her direction, and she quickly strode up the stairs and passed me without a word.

"Where is she going?" I asked as I looked over my shoulder in her direction.

"It does not concern you. Come and eat," he said as he glanced at a table filled with trays of food. When I reached the bottom of the stairs I stopped to look around the courtyard.

"Move quickly. We have much work to do," he said impatiently before turning around. He walked over to one of the couches and began rummaging through a stack of papers.

"What are we doing today?" I asked curiously as I hungrily eyed the food.

"Silvia, _eat_," he said irritably from across the room.

I rolled my eyes and began picking breads and strange fruits from the trays, until my plate was overflowing with food. When I turned around, I observed the room and saw a metal dining table close to where Ronan was sitting, and began walking towards it. I could feel his eyes watching me as I walked past him and sat down in one of the large dining chairs. They were so tall my feet didn't even touch the floor, so I began absent-mindedly swinging my legs back and forth, like a child would do. As I began eating, I eyed him cautiously and found him unhappily reading a piece of parchment. There were strange markings on it that I couldn't even begin to understand. As I took my last bite, Ronan stood up and was at my side in only a few strides.

"Come along," he said with impatience. In the corner of my eye I saw his hand move and I instinctively flinched in my chair, anticipating a strike. When I didn't feel any pain, I glanced over and saw him holding his hand out for me, and I almost felt guilty.

"Do not do that ever again," he said seriously as I accepted his hand and he helped me up from my chair.

"What do you expect, Ronan? Nine times out of ten you're going to hit me," I said sarcastically. His hand immediately grasped my shoulder and forced me to face him.

"Only because you refuse to obey me," he growled angrily. He paused and inhaled deeply through his nose before continuing, as if he was trying to calm himself down.

"If you would only obey me then I would not be tempted to punish you," he said somberly as his eyes casually scanned my body.

"Do you hear yourself? It's not _normal_ to hurt people just because they don't follow your every order. You seriously need help," I muttered with disgust and began turning away. Ronan angrily grabbed me by my arm, preventing me from walking away from him.

"You purposefully aggravate me on a daily basis, yet you expect _me_ to exercise restraint. I have killed thousands for far less, Silvia," he said quietly, his tone becoming far more dangerous.

"Then why am I not dead? Tell me, Ronan, what the _fuck_ I am still doing here," I said heatedly as I closed the space between us and pushed against his chest. His hands tightly gripped my wrists and pinned them down at my sides.

"Because I _want_ you here, that is why," he furiously hissed into my face, and my lips parted in shock. _Did he just admit that he wants me?_ This was the first time Ronan has even come close to admitting he likes me.

Ronan's eyes widened as if he was surprised by his own words, and he roughly let go of my wrists. In the blink of an eye his expression became cold and unattached.

"It is time to go," he said in an irritated tone. He began walking up the stairs while I continued standing there, still feeling dazed by his confession.

"Do not slow me down," he barked over his shoulder, startling me.

I quickly ran up the stairs and joined him as we made our way to the ship. When we reached the small ship, Ronan once again sat in the pilot's seat, and we were flying through the air in a matter of seconds.

"Where are we going?" I asked impatiently as I peered out my window. Once again I was blown away by the meticulous planning and architecture of the city. Metallic structures and perfectly round, white dome buildings glimmered in the sunlight. It truly was beautiful.

"The government athenaeum," he said without looking at me. I stared at him with a blank look on my face as I tried to figure out what the hell an athenaeum was, hoping he would elaborate more on the subject.

"There are documents there that need to be retrieved and translated," he said with disinterest, and I nodded hesitantly in response. I had no idea what I could possibly translate for him, but there was no point in arguing so I remained quiet for the rest of the trip.

We landed a few minutes later in front of one of the only few square buildings I had seen in the entire city. From the outside I could tell it was only two stories tall, but it was one of the largest buildings I had ever seen. Back home it surely would have taken up an entire block. It's reflective, shiny exterior made the already impressive building appear as if it was emitting sunlight. I could tell this was a building meant to impress and intimidate all who gazed upon it.

There were guards posted every twenty feet along the side of the building, but they paid no attention to us as we entered through the main door. When we walked through the massive lobby, I could see a maze of hallways and rows upon rows of bookshelves. _This must be some type of library or something,_ I thought as we walked through a hallway of shelves. We entered a room which was off in the corner, and Ronan quickly closed the door behind us. Inside the room was a large machine which almost looked like a printer, but the bottom half of it appeared to be a vault.

He pressed the palm of his hand against the front of it, and the door instantly opened at his touch. Inside the vault was a mountain of papers, which reminded me of the stack of research papers waiting for me back home on my desk. Ronan began pulling the papers out of the vault and placed them onto a small table next to the machine.

"Tell me which of these you can read," he said as he continued pulling papers out. I walked over to the table and picked up a paper, instantly recognizing the writing to be English.

"You can't read this? We're speaking it right now," I said with furrowed brows, feeling confused. Ronan stopped and looked over at me, obviously annoyed by my comment.

"I can read over thirty languages, but I am not familiar with Terran symbols, nor have I ever desired to learn. Your species is not exactly known for their bright intellect," he sneered before returning to the pile of papers.

"You could have just said no," I muttered under my breath as I picked up another paper. It was French.

"I can read this too. Ronan, what are you doing with this? How did you even get these up here?" I asked, becoming more curious by the second.

"Stop asking questions. For now, do as I instructed," he said with his back to me. I sighed loudly and continued sorting out the papers.

After about thirty minutes, there were two large stacks of paper in front of me, separated into the ones I could and couldn't read.

"OK, done. These are the ones I can read," I said, pointing to the larger stack. Ronan nodded and began putting the rejected pile back into the vault.

He then began placing the remainder of the papers into two boxes, and stacked them into my arms, but I did not struggle as I surely would have before I was given his blood. However, I couldn't really see where I was going as I began following him out the door and through the hallway. When we reached the lobby, I heard men calling Ronan's name, and we immediately stopped. I looked to my left and saw three men wearing red uniforms, and they were casually approaching us.

"Wait for me by the ship," he ordered before striding over to the men. I watched as the men crossed one arm over their chest with their hand forming a fist, and then back down to their side. _What a strange way to greet people,_ I thought as I walked out the door.

As I was walking to the ship, I would stop and pause every few seconds and turn to the side to see in front of me. _I don't know why he had to give me such tall boxes_, I thought as I paused for the third time. After seeing that my path was clear, I began walking forward again, only to be roughly slammed into by some unexpected force. I saw a flash of blue before I lost my balance and went stumbling to the ground, sending my boxes down along with me. I hurriedly began gathering the spilled papers at my feet and began throwing them back into the boxes.

"I am so sorry," I blurted out loudly with embarrassment. "These boxes –" I said, stopping when I looked up. It was that woman, Jul-Linn. She was looking down at me with her nose up in the air, as if I was some disgusting creature that needed to be terminated.

"He deserves better than you," she said quietly, her voice laced with venom.

"Excuse me?" I asked uneasily as I stood back up. Her blue skin and the facial expression she was giving me eerily reminded me of Ronan at the moment, but she was only about eight inches taller than me.

"What are you doing with Ronan?" She asked, ignoring my question. She stepped a little closer to me and looked me up and down, as if she was trying to size me up. She wrinkled her nose, obviously not impressed with what she saw.

"I'm his attendant," I mumbled, feeling extremely self-conscious. I quickly glanced behind me to see if Ronan was coming, but unfortunately he was not. I picked up my boxes and began walking again, only to be blocked by Jul-Linn.

"I did not say you could leave," she said in a haughty tone. _What an arrogant bitch_, I thought. I looked up at her with my eyebrows raised, trying my best to hold back my tongue.

"What do you want?" I asked, unable to hide the irritation in my voice.

"Tell me, do you honestly think you have a chance with Ronan? I'm not talking about sex. Sex is _easy_ \- anyone can do it. What I mean is, are you naïve to believe you could have a meaningful relationship with him?" She asked with a mocking smile, her voice becoming colder by the second. I remained silent, feeling suddenly small and immature as I looked up at the beautiful woman.

"He belongs with a woman who is strong, brave, and intelligent. _A Kree woman_. You have no chance, Terran. You are not even the same _species_," she sneered as she began circling me. I remained still, trying to fight back the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes.

"I saw the way he was staring at you last night. Do not get your hopes up. He will throw you away after he is done using your disgusting, pale body," she said bitterly from behind me. I heard her chuckle to herself as she began striding away.

I took a deep breath to clear my head, but I was unable to ease the knot Jul-Linn had left in my stomach. I began walking uneasily to the ship, trying not to drop the boxes while my mind remained distracted.

Why did she hate me so much? Was it love or hate that drove her to treat me like that? No one has ever talked to me like that before and I hoped to never experience that sort of bullying ever again. It felt as if she had reached into my brain, pulled out every doubt and fear I had about Ronan, and rubbed them in my face. I don't think I've ever met a woman as vile and hateful as her before, and I was so grateful for that. Mac-Varr was right; I did not want to mess with her – not one bit.

As soon as I opened the door to the ship and placed the boxes in the back seat, I heard a male cough behind me and I hesitantly turned around. Mac-Varr was standing there innocently smiling at me, and I instantly rolled my eyes.

"Hello, Silvia," he said, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

"I'm really not in the mood right now, Mac-Varr," I grumbled as I closed the back door. He stepped closer and leaned himself against the passenger door, preventing me from getting in.

"Have I done something to upset you?" He asked with a smile, seemingly amused by my grumpiness.

"Well, for one you are blocking my door. Two, you failed to mention to me that Ronan despises you before I got into your ship last night. And three, you never did tell me what happened," I said, placing my hands on my hips.

"Ronan still hasn't told you? Ahh, he must still be embarrassed. I don't blame the poor man," he said as he casually picked something off his sleeve.

"Do you have plans later tonight?" He said with a cheeky smile. I stared at him impatiently and motioned for him to move out of the way, which he reluctantly did. Of course, his smile never faltered throughout our exchange. Mac-Varr's flirtatiousness could easily be confused with creepiness.

"Yes, I have plans," I lied as I began stepping into the ship. I looked towards the building and saw Ronan angrily walking towards the ship.

"You're a terrible liar, Silvia," he said in a playful tone.

"You need to go now," I said uneasily as I watched Ronan get closer. Mac-Varr looked behind his shoulder and chuckled to himself before reaching into the ship and capturing my hand.

Before I could pull it away, he leaned down and kissed my hand, causing me to furiously blush. _This man is so fucking arrogant,_ I thought as I roughly pulled my hand out of his grasp. I could see Ronan scowling at me from about forty feet away.

"Get out of here," I hissed, now angry at Mac-Varr's forwardness. He smiled mischievously and slightly bowed before walking off, only ten seconds before Ronan arrived.

"I told you –" Ronan began seething as he stepped into the ship, and I immediately interrupted him.

"He approached me! I didn't _want_ to talk to him. Please just drop it! Within the last five minutes I have been bullied and borderline sexually harassed. I need one fucking minute of peace," I fumed, leaning back in my chair and exhaling loudly. Ronan glared at me, but much to my surprise he remained silent.

We were home within ten minutes and I couldn't have been happier. I reached into the back seat and picked up the boxes, and began walking into the house, heading straight for my bedroom. A hot, relaxing bath sounded just about perfect after a morning like this.

"Where are you going?" Ronan asked impatiently from behind me.

"To my room?" I asked, my voice filled with hope. _Please, all I want is a bubble bath_, I thought as I turned around. I was disappointed to see Ronan frowning at me with disapproval.

"No," he said, walking down the stairs and motioning with his hand. I sighed loudly and reluctantly followed him into the courtyard.

Ronan sat down on a large couch, and I sat down on the one next to him, so our knees were almost touching. I leaned forward and placed the boxes on the low, stone table which was positioned in the middle of the couch formation. Ronan pulled out a small device from one of his pockets and handed it over to me. It was about the size of a pen, and there was a small button on the top.

"What is it?" I asked, turning the object around in my hand.

"It is a recording device. You will speak into this as you read these documents," he said as he handed me a paper, and I instantly recognized it to be from a major news station in the United States.

"You want me to read everything on this page? Some of this isn't even important – like, how apparently drinking more water can lead to weight loss," I said sarcastically as I scanned the paper. When I glanced back up, Ronan did not look amused.

"Everything, Silvia," he said irritably before picking up another document filled with alien symbols.

"Can you please tell me how you got these?" I asked impatiently. I was secretly wondering if there was a way for me to communicate with my family and friends back home.

"We have spies on your planet, many of whom have infiltrated government positions. They periodically send us information through a machine we specifically built for this purpose. I will admit most of the information we receive is trivial and dull, but occasionally we find something of use. Your presence saves me the trouble of having to hire a translator," he smirked as he looked back down at his document.

"Kree spies on Earth," I muttered in disbelief. "Well, I guess if they looked like Mac-Varr it wouldn't be hard to fit in," I said, rolling my eyes. In my head I could see desperate women throwing themselves at him, and I started chuckling to myself. When I looked up from my paper, Ronan was glaring angrily at me and I quickly stopped smiling.

"Why do you hate Mac-Varr?" I asked quietly. Just saying his name caused Ronan's nostrils to flare and his fists to tighten up, as if he desired to strangle something, _or someone_.

"He is a lying, despicable cretin. Do not speak his name in my home," he snarled before looking back down at his paper. I waited for him to calm down before speaking again.

"But what did he do?" I asked with caution, causing Ronan's body to tense up once again.

He deeply inhaled and turned his head in my direction, locking his eyes onto mine. His rigid body language reflected the anger he felt, but as I looked deeply into his eyes, I could see a trace of sadness hidden underneath those beautiful, purple irises. It was barely detectable, but it was definitely there.

"He betrayed me," he said seriously, and I knew the conversation was over. He continued to stare at me until I looked away, and I suddenly felt sad for him. Whatever Mac-Varr did, it must have been pretty bad, and I instantly disliked the man for hurting Ronan.

I tapped the button on the top of the recording device and began reading aloud, hoping I wouldn't somehow screw this up. Occasionally I would notice Ronan's head turn in my direction, but I remained focused on my task and ignored his stares. Over the next few hours I read about strange science experiments, including lab-grown meat and electrical thinking caps that stimulated your brain. _Um, no thanks,_ I thought.

Shortly after that, his servants walked in and placed trays on the dining table, signaling it was time for lunch. After twenty minutes of eating quietly and watching Ronan drink wine as if it were water, I could feel his eyes on me. I nervously swallowed my food and looked up to find him staring at me with a curious look on his face. I was halfway through my second helping of wine, but the warm liquid could not ease my nerves as Ronan's eyes burned into me. I was pretty certain he was on his seventh or eighth glass of wine, but he didn't appear intoxicated. At least, I couldn't tell.

"Tell me about this university you attended," he said as he brought his goblet up to his lips. My eyes locked onto his mouth, suddenly becoming transfixed with how his blue lips glistened when wet. I subconsciously licked my lips and took a sip from my own goblet before speaking.

"Um, well, it's small compared to other schools because it's privately owned. There were only about 12,000 students, and half of them were graduate students working on their _second_ degrees. I never even got to graduate a _first_ time," I muttered resentfully as I took a large sip of wine.

"And what did you study at this university?" He asked, watching my face closely as I eagerly drank my wine.

"Political science. My parents wanted me to get a government job," I whispered sadly and sighed. "I only had two months left, but then I had to go to that fucking park and get abducted. Four years of hard work – all for nothing," I said, slightly slurring my words. I really wished he would change the subject, because this was definitely not something I wanted to talk about.

I tilted my head back and finished off the remainder of my wine, feeling happily buzzed. Ronan's eyes narrowed slightly as he scanned my face and followed my goblet as I placed it back down on the table. He slowly stood up from his chair and walked over to my side of the table, grabbing my tall, metal cup before I could protest. With his eyes still closely regarding my face, he began pouring more wine into my goblet, and placed it down without a word.

Already feeling tipsy, I began drinking the wine without a second thought as he walked back to his chair. Ronan's eyes gleamed with amusement as he watched me from across the table, and for nearly ten minutes we remained sitting there in silence, only staring at each other as we drank our wine. Ronan finished off his ninth serving of wine and lowered the heavy goblet back onto the table with a loud thud, causing me to look up.

"Why is it that no other man had you before I did?" He asked suddenly in a serious, but curious tone. "I assumed Terrans to be salacious creatures, incapable of controlling their desires," he said as he leaned back in his chair.

"A lot of men tried, but I don't know, I guess it never felt right. I wanted them to deserve it, you know? They were all immature and _boring_," I mumbled almost incoherently. At this point, I couldn't really decipher what was coming out of my own mouth. It was like someone had taken control of my tongue and they wouldn't shut the hell up. _Come on, Silvia. Get ahold of yourself,_ I thought.

"But you…" I began, propping my head up on the table with my hand. "You are not like the men back home," I slurred drunkenly, feeling my face flush from the alcohol. _Shut up, shut up, shut up_, I screamed inside my head. The corners of Ronan's mouth curved slightly as if he was pleased.

"I am drunk, Ronan," I muttered, seriously trying my best to pull myself together.

"Yes, I am well aware of this," he said, his smirk deepening as he continued to watch me.

I suddenly stood up from my chair, but I had no idea where I planned on going. My feet moved on their own, leading me towards the staircase, but the whole room appeared to be spinning, so I did not make it far from the table. As I began my slow descent to the floor, I became aware of a low, manly laugh coming from behind me, and I immediately rolled onto my back to see where it was coming from. To my amazement, I could see Ronan sitting in his chair quietly laughing as he looked down at me on the floor. _OK, so maybe the wine was affecting him after all_, I thought as I watched him from the floor.

"Are you – are you _laughing_, Ronan?" I asked in astonishment. I didn't think he was capable of laughter. I found myself smiling at his deep, husky voice, and strangely enough I felt butterflies in my stomach. Ronan quickly stood up from his chair, not even bothering to hide the amused grin on his face, and walked over to stand next to me on the floor.

"I must say I have never seen a drunken Terran before, but it is indeed entertaining to watch," he said as his eyes roamed across my body.

The dress I was wearing had risen well past my knees from rolling around on the floor, giving Ronan a good view of my thighs. His eyes stared hungrily at my flesh, turning darker by the second, which caused my heart to start beating wildly with excitement.

Ronan looked into my eyes as he sensed my elevated heart rate, and immediately bent down and scooped me up in his arms, causing me to gasp in surprise. As he carried me up the stairs, I hung limply in his arms, my eyes glazed over as I looked up into his face.

"You're so strong," I mumbled in awe, feeling impossibly tiny in his arms. He only grinned in response and continued to carry me towards my room. As we entered my bedroom and he placed me down on my soft bed, I had to remind myself that he nearly drowned me two days ago.

"We're not having sex," I slurred loudly, crossing my arms over my chest. Ronan slowly sat down next to me and placed his hand on my knee, all the while staring at me with slyness in his eyes.

"I understand," he said as his hand slowly began trailing up my leg and under my dress. I reached down to stop his advance, but his other hand swatted my hand away in annoyance.

"I said we're _not_ having sex," I said more forcefully, causing Ronan to smirk. Again I reached down to stop his hand, but his left hand quickly grabbed my wrists and pinned them above my head.

"There are other ways for me to bring you pleasure, Silvia," he said in a deep, sultry voice. His right hand began pulling my panties down, just far enough to where he could access my soft mound, while his eyes remained locked on my face.

"Ronan, stop. I'm on my period," I whispered in embarrassment, trying to scoot away from him. He grabbed my inner thigh, preventing me from moving away.

"Do not deny me this," he said, his voice rough with lust and frustration. "I will not take you with my cock, but I will see you unfold before me until you are _begging_ for it," he hissed darkly into my ear, causing me to shiver with arousal.

"I – but – no, Ronan. There's blood," I muttered nervously, feeling my face grow even hotter. Ronan quietly snickered and smirked down at me as if what I said amused him.

"I bathe in the blood of my enemies, Silvia. I welcome the sight of it; in truth, I _yearn_ for it," he growled passionately as he began pushing a long, thick finger inside of me, causing me to squirm in his grasp. His thumb began stroking my bud and within seconds my body was under his control, bending and folding with every stroke.

"This isn't right," I panted, my eyes heavy with pleasure. Having Ronan's fingers covered in my blood felt forbidden and indecent, but at the same time it was oddly thrilling. When he began pushing a second finger into me, I closed my eyes and began softly moaning as he filled me up.

"Yet you quiver at my touch," he said lustfully, stroking my upper inner walls with his fingers. I cried out loudly with pleasure as a wonderful, tightening sensation filled my core, making me almost erratic with arousal.

"You almost killed me," I whimpered, trying to take control of my body. Ronan growled angrily as he continued skillfully stroking his fingers along a delicious spot inside of me.

"I was never going to_ kill_ you. Death is too easy an escape. I would never let you go so easily," he said slowly before nibbling my earlobe, causing my body to involuntarily tremble.

Everything he did to me felt amazing and I did not want him to stop, despite the nagging voice in my head telling me I should. I did not have much of a choice though because a minute later, my stomach began to turn with unease, causing me to furrow my brow in discomfort. At first I thought maybe it was because I was nervous, but the familiar wave of nausea hit me out of nowhere, and panic suddenly set in. _Oh no, please, not on Ronan. Hold it, you can do it_, I thought frantically. Ronan stopped his movements and looked down at me skeptically as he noticed the drastic change in my physical demeanor.

"Let go. I'm going to be sick," I groaned, sitting up when Ronan immediately released my wrists. Seeing his fingers covered in my bright, red blood caused me to gag loudly, and I quickly staggered into the bathroom with my hand over my mouth.

The second I launched myself over the toilet, all of the wine and food from earlier came spewing from my mouth as I puked. I sounded like a tyrannosaurus rex as I violently threw up, and I desperately hoped Ronan was far away, unable to hear this atrocity. I struggled for air as my stomach kept painfully contracting, making me continuously dry heave above the toilet, and I began crying pathetically. The sensation of someone pulling my hair back filled me with dread, for I knew Ronan was standing behind me, witnessing this disgusting, embarrassing moment.

"Please, I don't want you to watch this," I whined as I felt another urge to vomit. I placed my hands around the brim of the toilet seat, bracing myself as I began gagging again.

"I am not easily repulsed, Silvia," he said in a soft, serious tone as he continued holding my hair out of my face. Once again I vomited, but this time it was not as much. I tiredly reached up with my hand and flushed the toilet, clearing it of my stomach contents.

When I was sure I wasn't going to throw up anymore, I slowly stood up and took a deep breath. Ronan let go of my hair as I began walking over to the sink on shaky legs, slightly wavering towards the end. I felt his hands grab me at the waist from behind, steadying me as I leaned over the sink and began brushing my teeth. After thoroughly washing my mouth and face, Ronan once again scooped me up in his arms and carried me back to bed, making me feel like a fragile, little flower. He was very different from the men back home, and I was especially grateful for that. I only threw up in front of two of my ex-boyfriends and they immediately ran away at the sight, whereas Ronan thoughtfully held my hair and cradled me in his arms.

It felt wonderful to be taken care of by him, even though his hands were just as likely to bruise me as they were to caress me. However, there was something different about him. He was being extraordinarily nice and gentle with me today, making me believe that perhaps he was finally done hurting me. As I looked into his eyes, I noticed there was a softness inside of them that didn't exist before, and it pulled me in wanting more.

"Stay," I whispered softly as he began walking away. He stopped and stood there with his back to me for a few seconds, as if contemplating if he should stay or not, but much to my relief, he started slowly walking back to the bed. He sat down next to me and placed his hand on my thigh, gently stroking it with his thumb in a soothing manner. I was hoping with the wine still in his system, he would be more willing to open up to me.

"Tell me what happened between you and Jul-Linn," I said gently. Ronan grimaced and looked away, his expression clearly annoyed.

"Some things should not be discussed," he said irritably, glaring at me.

"How am I supposed to trust you, if you don't tell me anything?" I asked, feeling myself become impatient.

"We are not discussing this," he said more forcefully as he retracted his hand from my thigh.

"She confronted me, Ronan," I said angrily, causing his head to spin in my direction. He continued staring at me, his expression shocked and uneasy, yet he remained quiet.

"She was so hateful. She said that I – well," I stopped, quickly changing direction. "She was just awful! If I'm going to be tormented by some giant, blue woman I should at least know why," I said, pulling the sheets tighter over me. Just thinking about the things she said to me made me feel self-conscious all over again.

Ronan's hand moved back to my leg as he silently stared at me, his eyes narrowing as he saw me frowning at the memory.

"What did she say to you?" He asked, his voice hinting with anger.

"I don't really want to repeat it," I muttered quietly, avoiding his gaze_. I shouldn't have even brought it up,_ I thought as Ronan's hand tightened around my leg.

"Silvia," he warned, frowning down at me. Judging by his tone, I could tell he was not going to let this go. I sighed in defeat and looked up at the ceiling, trying my best to keep a stoic face as I began repeating the things she said to me.

I was avoiding looking at him because I honestly didn't want to see his reaction. What if everything she said was true and Ronan agreed with her? Being rejected for a second time was not something I wanted to go through, and I wasn't sure how I would handle it, especially not after today. Ronan was showing me a side of him that I had never seen before and I desperately wanted to see more of it. He actually _laughed_ tonight – which I still had a hard time believing – and he seemed genuinely interested in getting to know more about me.

"Well," I sighed. "I'm disgusting and pale. You're going to throw me away after you're done using me for sex. You belong with a Kree woman and I have no chance of a meaningful relationship with you," I said unhappily, staring at the ceiling.

There was a piercing silence that followed afterwards, which only made me believe that my fears were true, and I felt my heart begin to sink with disappointment.

"She is a spiteful, envious woman," he sneered hatefully, causing me to look up in surprise. He was glaring angrily at the wall as if he was thinking about something that angered him.

"Pay her no attention," he said quietly before looking back at me.

_Wait, so he didn't agree with her?_ _Did that mean there was hope for something more?_ My heart fluttered slightly at the thought.

However, there was still the matter of unfaithfulness between Jul-Linn and Ronan that needed to be addressed; after all, I didn't want to be with someone who was only going to do the same thing to me. I knew I was getting ahead of myself, but my curiosity was too strong to let me remain quiet on the subject.

"So…" I began hesitantly. "You…um, cheated on her?" I asked nervously, watching Ronan's face contort with anger.

"You assume _I_ was untrue to her?" He asked loudly as he glared at me. _Oh, shit. Way to go, Silvia_, I thought.

"I was told someone was unfaithful. I – I didn't –" I blurted out, feeling completely stupid now.

"And who is it that informed you of this?" He asked harshly, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"Mac-Varr," I whispered guiltily as my fingers nervously fiddled with the sheets. Ronan heatedly stood up from the bed and leaned over me, placing his hands on either side of my head.

"I suppose he failed to mention _he_ was the one who seduced her," he snarled into my face, causing me to push myself as low as possible into the bed.

"He who called me ally was the same to deceive me and play me for a fool," he said as he began heatedly pacing next to my bed. I anxiously watched him as he continued his angry tirade, waiting for him to calm down.

"Nothing would bring me greater pleasure than to crush his skull with my bare hands. If it weren't for Hal-Dan protecting him, it would have already been done. And _her_," he growled with such ferocity it made me shiver.

"That insidious, philandering whore is dead to me," he hissed viciously before stopping to face me. He was breathing heavily with rage, but he remained silent as he stared at me. After a few seconds, a look of realization crossed his face, and once again his cold, unemotional mask was back on.

"I'm sorry," I whispered sadly. I was finally beginning to understand why Ronan acted the way he did. He was hurt – although he wasn't going to admit that – and he hides that pain by lashing out and building impossibly high walls for anyone to climb over.

"You will not mention this again," he warned in a chillingly quiet voice. I nodded nervously and watched as he exited through the door without another word.

I actually felt sorry for Ronan and I wanted to somehow help him, but I knew that if I ever mentioned this again I would face his wrath, and that was not something I ever wanted to encounter again. This was a deep emotional wound that only time could heal and I couldn't take his pain away or make him trust me.

Just as the sun began to set, one of Ronan's hooded servants silently walked in and placed a tray on my nightstand. I had a killer headache and I was desperately hoping there was something on that tray that would take it away. When I lifted the lid, there was a thick, green drink which I hesitantly sipped on. Almost immediately, my headache improved and I happily drank the rest of the soothing concoction.

After resting for several hours and nibbling on some bread the servant left for me, my headache and nausea gratefully disappeared. _I swear, I will never get drunk off wine ever again_, I thought grumpily to myself, although I knew it wasn't true.

I was beginning to feel restless sitting in my bed doing nothing, plus my stomach was beginning to rumble with hunger, so I ventured out into the hall in search for something a little more gratifying. As I looked down into the empty courtyard, moonlight from above and soft, blue light from the wall sconces illuminated the space with a heavenly glow. I noticed there were a few small trays of food sitting on the buffet table down below, so I quickly made my way down the stairs. Since there was no one around and I assumed everyone was sleeping anyways, I shamelessly ate directly from the trays until I was full.

I walked over to the stone table where our papers from earlier remained neatly piled and sat down on one of the large, black couches. My hand absently picked up the recording device as my eyes scanned the pile of papers, and I frowned with dissatisfaction at my progress. I had only gotten one-third of the way through, and my overachieving, impatient mind was urging me to continue working. Perhaps now that Ronan wasn't closely watching me I could focus more on the task at hand and actually get this done. With an exasperated sigh I clicked the button on the recording device and began reading from the articles.

Over the next hour I read about French and German politics, which were actually a lot more complicated than I originally thought. _And I thought American politics were messy_, I thought as I continued reading about the latest scandals in the European Union. Several of the documents I read had the word 'classified' stamped across the top, which was actually very worrying because it meant Kree spies had access to potentially dangerous information. Now that I thought about it, it was entirely possible that my family and I could have already encountered one of these spies already, and the thought of that made me involuntarily shiver.

The next paper I picked up, I immediately recognized it to be from one of my favorite news stations in the U.S. and I felt relieved to once again read something in English. However, halfway through the article, my articulate, calm voice suddenly become strained as I read a familiar name on the page.

"Meanwhile, the search for Silvia Rosa Alamanni, daughter…" I said, suddenly going quiet with shock.

"Continue," I heard Ronan say behind me, causing me to jump in surprise. I looked down in embarrassment as I felt his eyes burning into the back of my head, and I reluctantly picked up the paper and continued reading.

"….daughter of Governor Anthony Alamanni, continues throughout the Southeast. The twenty-two year old heiress went missing nearly two weeks ago, with her belongings being found in a park near her residential neighborhood. Her father is offering a substantial reward to anyone who can assist in her safe return," I said quietly as my eyes began to fill up with tears. This was an old article, but I knew in my heart that my parents were still looking for me, and that only made my eyes water even more.

"A governor's daughter _and_ an heiress," Ronan mused as he slowly walked over to the couch opposite me and sat down. "It would appear I have captured Terran royalty," he smirked at me, but his eyes were burning with rage.

"And here I thought we were learning to trust one another," he sneered, his smirk turning into a dissatisfied frown.

_Damn it._

* * *

**Author's Note: I hope that wasn't too unexpected? I wanted it to kind of be a surprise, but I tried to hint at it several times that Silvia is a little more 'privileged' than others - also explains why she can be a stubborn brat at times :P **

**So, I'm really excited about the next two chapters. Something big was supposed to happen in this chapter, but once again I underestimated how long this chapter would be... so that will have to wait until it's ready. I know I promised a few of you but just be patient (please haha). **

**P.S. - I'm totally imagining Lucy Lawless from Xena Warrior Princess as Jul-Linn (but with blue skin, of course) if you need a visual reference ;)**


	13. Part I: Chapter 13

_**Chapter song: Leave My Body by Florence &amp; the Machine**_

* * *

This could not have happened at a worse time. Only a few hours ago I was asking Ronan to open up to me in order for me to trust him, yet here I was being portrayed as a lying hypocrite. The last thing I wanted was to give him a reason not to trust me.

"It's not what you think," I said, quietly sniffling. "I was–"

"Your stubborn, self-entitled demeanor should have been the first indicator of your status. The children of politicians never possess the trait of docility," he taunted in a condescending tone.

"I was going to tell you eventually. Honestly, I didn't even think about it! It's not like it's relevant to my situation now," I said, my voice rising with anger.

"The point is you purposefully hid this from me," he sneered as he straightened himself up.

"No, I didn't! You never _asked_," I retorted sharply, causing Ronan to glare at me.

"Silvia," he warned, his voice rumbling with irritation. I leaned back into the couch, crossing my arms and shaking my head with frustration while I glared at him.

"Tell me about this heiress matter," he said after a moment of silence. "And do not _lie_ to me," he hissed as he sensed my reluctance.

"My great-grandfather was an oil tycoon. When my parents pass away, I'll take ownership of the company," I said with a sigh. It would be perfectly fine with me if that day never came.

"Then my following grandfather invested early in an engineering company called Stark Industries, which is now my world's largest supplier of aeronautics and robotics. We own a significant amount of its shares," I said as I watched Ronan's eyes narrow in thought.

"You are speaking of a great deal of wealth," he said quietly, eyeing me up and down.

_Great, here we go_, I thought as I silently stared at him. I could feel the resentment and frustration slowly building inside of me, making me feel like I was being wound up like a spring, ready to bounce at any second.

"Your family is powerful," he said with conviction as he leaned forward. My silence was the only answer he needed, and slowly his mouth began to curve into a devious smile. He could tell I was getting upset, but this only seemed to ignite him.

"Perhaps _princess_ would be a more fitting title for you," he said in a rough, mocking voice.

"Stop it!" I snapped, jumping up from the couch. His arrogant smirk disappeared, but his eyes still shined with mischievous glee as he looked up at me.

"I don't want to be treated like a _fucking_ princess. Every time someone finds out who I am they start treating me differently and I hate it! Don't do that to me," I said, my voice shaking with anger.

Ronan snorted with amusement as he leaned back against the couch and stared at me. As his brilliant, smoldering eyes remained locked on my face, I could see flickers of desire, curiosity, and eagerness hidden within the purple orbs, and my heart slowly sank with disappointment; it was the same look I had seen on every boyfriend before him and Ronan was the last person I suspected to care about wealth or social status.

"I thought you were different from the other men," I muttered disappointedly, shaking my head as I began walking away.

"Stop," Ronan ordered quietly from the couch. I ignored him and continued heading towards the stairs, trying my best not to falter when I heard his feet angrily slam against the floor as he stood up from the couch.

"I said _stop_," he growled loudly from behind me, causing my stomach to tighten with fear. I hesitantly stopped and turned around to see him slowly sauntering towards me, with his mouth turned down in a frown.

"You dare compare me to Terran men?" He asked, his deep, masculine voice resonating off the walls.

"I saw the way you were looking at me," I grumbled unhappily as he came within arm's reach. He continued slowly advancing upon me as he began speaking, causing me to step backwards.

"Clearly you have misinterpreted me. I am not impressed nor do I care about your family's fortune. In fact, I find it amusing that you assume mere _Terran _wealth has power over my mind, especially when it is obvious you despise your privilege. I'll admit your disregard for wealth and power is admirable, and I find your attitude to be rather curious," he said as he continued walking forward until I felt my back press against the wall.

I had to admit it was relieving to hear Ronan say he didn't care about who my family is or how much money I'm worth. Although I had heard this line many times before, there was an obvious sincerity in Ronan's voice that convinced me he was actually telling the truth, and the way he was cornering me now only proved he was not going to treat me any differently.

"The only thing I care about is that peculiar mind of yours and what other secrets lie within it," he said as he reached out and gently held me by my neck, keeping me from running away.

My breath caught in my throat as his warm hand made contact with my bare skin, instantly reminding me of the things he was doing to me earlier, and I couldn't prevent myself from blushing. I remained silent as his eyes trailed up my neck and across my face, obviously noticing the pink color spread across my skin.

For some reason, I was even more attracted to Ronan now that he knew who I was and I knew he didn't give a damn. For the first time in a long time, I didn't feel like just another tool to be used by hopeful politicians, young philanthropists, or gold-digging men. He truly was nothing like the men back home, and I absolutely loved it.

"What else are you hiding from me?" He asked seriously, tilting his head down at me. _He was so big, so, so __**big**__,_ I thought as I bit my lip.

"Nothing," I whispered as I felt myself unwillingly tremble with arousal.

"There are ways for me to find out the truth," he said, his voice low in warning as he leaned in closer, mistakenly judging my trembling to be caused from fear.

"I'm not hiding anything from you," I said quietly as I looked up at him. I nervously swallowed before speaking, wondering if what I was about to say next would be too bold.

"You could always strip search me," I teased softly, unable to hide the yearning I felt for him. His eyes faintly twitched, obviously caught off guard by my suggestion, but his hand remained wrapped around my neck.

"Do not try to distract me," he growled with unexpected anger, causing me to flinch.

"I'm not hiding anything!" I shouted frustratedly as I attempted to remove his hand from my neck. After a few seconds of achieving absolutely nothing I gave up and sighed loudly.

"Let go of me," I said impatiently, trying my best not to lose my temper. Not only was I sexually frustrated, but I was now trapped by the man who was responsible for it.

"No," he said smirking down at me. There was a twinkle in his eye that made it clear to me that he was enjoying his power over me and I was certain he knew the affect he was having on me.

_Fine, two can play that game_, I thought mischievously as I began to do the unthinkable.

I closed my eyes and began softly trailing my hands across my abdomen, slowly moving upwards towards my breasts. When my hands reached the soft flesh of my bosom, I began gently squeezing and cupping the large mounds in my hands, seductively biting my bottom lip while doing so.

"What are you doing?" Ronan asked, for once sounding unsure of himself. I ignored him and continued caressing myself with my delicate hands, genuinely enjoying the soft touch.

As my left hand remained cradling my left breast, my right hand began slowly trailing downwards, heading straight for my sensitive mound. I slipped my hand underneath the fabric of my dress and began rubbing myself over my panties, causing myself to involuntarily moan. In response, Ronan slightly tightened his grip around my neck, but not enough to affect my breathing. I slowly opened my eyes to look up at him and found him staring at me with his mouth slightly parted and his brow furrowed with confusion.

"What are you _doing_?" He asked more forcefully, obviously becoming frustrated.

"I'm pleasuring myself," I whispered seductively, enjoying the way his eyes slightly darkened.

I closed my eyes once again and began rubbing faster, tilting my head backwards against the wall as pleasure began to consume my lower body. My respiration and heartrate increased as I came closer to reaching my peak, and Ronan's hand tightened around my neck as if he could sense it. I gasped as my airway became tighter, but I continued stroking myself through the thin fabric.

"Stop it, Silvia," he said in a rough voice. My eyes remained closed so I could not see what he looked like, but I could imagine he was glaring at me right now.

"No," I moaned loudly as my knees started to shake.

"You look ridiculous," he growled, but I could tell from the sound of his voice he was beginning to become aroused himself.

Sure enough, only a few seconds later his hands tightly gripped my waist and lifted me up in the air, roughly throwing me over his shoulder. His right hand held my legs against his chest to prevent me from falling off, and he quickly began making his way to the stairs.

"You are an irksome creature," he muttered as we ascended the white, stone stairs. I couldn't help but smile at his annoyed tone because I could tell he was secretly enjoying the situation.

When we entered my bedroom door I expected him to set me down on the floor or on the bed, but he continued walking towards the bathroom. He stopped in front of the shower and lifted me off his shoulder, placing me down so my back was to him. I barely had time to register the sound of fabric ripping before I realized my dress was hanging off of me in two pieces, with my bra and panties removed shortly after. He then gently pushed me inside the shower and turned the water on while he remained standing outside, staring at me with devilish glee.

I stood in the shower as warm water trickled over my body, causing my nipples to harden from the change in temperature, and watched with excitement as Ronan began taking his armor off. It had to be one of the most thrilling moments of my life, watching him undress before me while his lustful eyes remained transfixed on my body. He truly looked like he was trying to devour me with his eyes, and it made me more aroused than anything else. After his heavy armor was removed and he was left standing in the thin fabric of his leather tunic and loincloth, I felt my heart flutter with anticipation. My eyes raked across his magnificent physique as the last remains of his clothing were removed, and Ronan wasted no time in getting down to business.

In the blink of an eye, I was pressed against the shower wall with Ronan's hand gently grasping my neck. I could feel his hard length pushing against my stomach as he reached down and began stroking me in between my silky folds. The suppressed sexual energy I had been feeling earlier came back with vengeance as Ronan pushed down on my swollen bud, and I came around his fingers in less than a minute. I looked up to see the water was slowly melting away the black paint from his face, revealing his handsome features underneath the terrifying mask, and I had the sudden urge to kiss him.

As if he knew what I wanted, Ronan roughly grabbed my ass from behind and lifted me up against the wall so we were at eye level. With my legs wrapped around his waist, we began kissing with a fiery passion that was noticeably different, our mouths moving perfectly in sync with each other, craving and tasting each other's flesh. I had never felt this type of connection with anyone before and the fire in which it consumed me now was absolutely mind-blowing. Ronan pulled his head back and gazed at me, as if he were truly looking at me for the first time, and I knew right then that something significant was happening, but I didn't know what.

"Silvia," Ronan said softly, making my whole body tingle in response.

"Ronan," I breathed, my chest rising and falling with excitement.

Ronan's face flickered with surprise as he looked intensely into my eyes, making me curious as to what he was thinking, but that surprise was quickly replaced with a dark, ravenous need.

His eyes remained locked on my face as he lifted me up and positioned his thick head at my entrance. I placed my hands on his shoulders as he began lowering me down onto him, causing me to gasp at the enormous pressure of him filling me up. It stung a little, but it was a welcome pain. His gaze lowered to my parted lips and his own mouth curved with gratification as he watched me take him in, once again claiming my body for his own.

I felt as if I weighed nothing at all as Ronan moved me up and down along his length, slowly burying himself deeper into me with every push. My head felt dizzy from the carnal intoxication his thick girth was bringing me, and soon I found myself frenetic with animalistic desire. I boldly leaned forward and began sucking on his beautiful, muscular neck, bringing the blue skin into my mouth. Ronan grunted in response, his fingers burying themselves deeper into my ass with bruising strength. He began kissing me with renewed frenzy, pulling my bottom lip into his mouth and gently biting it, before moving down my neck and nuzzling the curve of my neck and shoulder. I moaned softly as his mouth lowered to my collarbone and I felt his teeth graze the sensitive area, causing my walls to clench around his cock.

"I will not be gentle tonight," he growled into my neck, making me shudder with delight.

His left hand remained underneath me holding me up, while his other hand reached up and grabbed a handful of my breast. His mouth eagerly latched onto my nipple, licking and sucking it until it was swollen with blood. When I looked down I saw the pink, engorged bud in between his teeth and I quietly whimpered when I felt a sharp sensation as he bit me.

With my back still pressed against the wall, Ronan began roughly thrusting himself inside of me, almost to the hilt each time. The short, piercing cries that escaped me were involuntary as he deeply penetrated me, but my loud vocalization only seemed to spur him on. My back slid along the wet, slick wall as he moved my body with his powerful thrusts. It was not long before I felt the familiar fire pooling in my lower abdomen and my entire body began to quake. His right hand dropped back down to my ass and held me up as I lost muscle control over my legs and could no longer wrap them around his waist. When my tight walls began to quiver around his pulsing length, he grunted and began fervently nuzzling my neck, lapping at my tender flesh with his warm tongue.

My nails raked along his backside as I violently came on his thick cock, my screams of pure bliss being music to his ears. He growled passionately before once again capturing my mouth, slamming himself deeper into me to prevent my muscles from pushing him out as I climaxed. My hands frantically grasped at his shoulders, arms, and face as he continued to drive himself further into me, all the while exploring my mouth with his skillful, demanding tongue. He then unexpectedly pulled himself out and placed me down on the floor.

"Turn around and bend over," he ordered, his voice rough with lust. "_Now_," he growled when I hesitated.

I turned around on shaking legs and slowly bent over in front of him. Ronan's hand pressed down on my lower back, forcing me to bend over even more.

"Grab your ankles," he instructed huskily, and I immediately obliged. I felt my face flush with embarrassment as his hands began caressing my ample, round bottom, gently squeezing and stroking the soft cheeks with tender care.

Just as I started to relax, his right hand slapped my delicate cheek, immediately making me yelp with shock. Although it stung, it didn't actually hurt, and I found myself surprisingly turned on by the act. Excitement and mild fear coursed through my body as I waited for the next spanking, but I remained frozen in my spot and whimpered softy with anticipation. I heard Ronan hum with appreciation as his hands roamed across my backside.

"You never fail to surprise me," Ronan murmured with amusement as I felt him step closer.

His left hand grabbed my hip to keep me steady as he positioned himself at my entrance and in one thrust he was all the way inside me, making me cry out with a delicious mixture of pain and pleasure. From this position it felt as if he were taking my virginity all over again, but I could feel him rubbing along my G-spot, and that definitely made up for it.

His hands used my hips as leverage, pulling me backwards onto him as he slid into me from behind, making the penetration deeper than ever. Within minutes I was moaning and breathing heavily with pleasure as another orgasm quickly approached me. I gasped as his hand slapped my other ass cheek, which caused my core to tighten around his organ, and this increased friction unexpectedly brought me to my climax. My eyes widened with surprise as pure ecstasy rippled through my body, causing my legs to shake and my mind to become momentarily lost. A few seconds later, I heard Ronan grunt before his pace quickened and his hands dug further into the flesh of my hips. After a few deep thrusts and a delicious, masculine groan, I felt the warm release of his orgasm trickling out of me and down my leg.

As I slowly straightened up, Ronan's fingers traced the groove of my spine and stopped at the base of my neck, before running down along my arms. I turned around to see him intently staring down at me, his expression a mixture of pride and intrigue, while he began lathering soap between his large hands. Without saying a word he started rubbing the fragrant suds all over my body with a gentleness I had not expected. If it weren't for the possessive look he was giving me, I would have thought the act to be romantic.

When I was clean, he reached over and cut the water off and promptly stepped out of the shower. I followed behind and grabbed a towel from the cabinet to wrap around my body. Suddenly remembering that I was still on my period, I quickly began making another pad with toilet paper and walked into my bedroom to put on a new pair of panties.

As I was drying my hair, I felt an eyelash get stuck underneath my eyelid, causing me to hiss with annoyance. After nearly a minute of failed attempts to remove the irritating hair from my eye, I walked over to the mirror to get a better look. When I gazed at my reflection, a loud, startled gasp escaped me as I looked into a pair of unfamiliar bright, purple eyes that should have been blue.

"Ronan, my eyes…" I whispered, suddenly feeling light headed. Ronan was already standing only a few feet behind me, looking not at all surprised.

"Yes," he said calmly.

"When did this happen?" I asked with shock, leaning in closer to look at my new eyes. They were certainly prettier than my boring blue ones, but I felt almost disappointed knowing a part of me was gone forever.

"In the shower, only seconds before I was inside of you," he said with gleaming eyes as he stepped closer.

"It was indeed a curious sight to behold," he said in a thoughtful tone. He ran his hands along my shoulders in a comforting manner, almost making me forget about the startling change.

"But what does it mean?" I whispered anxiously, turning around to face him. He smirked down at me, obviously not concerned with what was happening to me.

"It means your transformation is complete. You are now half-Kree," he said with visible pride, before walking away into the bathroom.

"Half-Kree," I whispered to myself as I walked over to the bed in a daze. I pulled myself up onto the fluffy mattress and lied down, vacantly staring at the ceiling while I became consumed with thoughts.

My life was so fucking _weird_ now. Here I was on another planet, having amazing sex with this mysterious, hot alien man, and now _I_ was considered half alien. I felt like I was trapped in some bizarre science fiction movie. Growing up, I feared I would have a dull, predictable life, but that certainly wasn't the case anymore. Still, I wish I knew what the hell was going on between Ronan and me because I was growing more attached to him by the minute. He was definitely not the type to open up about his feelings, so I knew if anything was going to happen, I would have to be the one to make the first move and it scared me to death.

He came out of the bathroom dressed in his full armor once again, and stopped when he noticed I was watching him closely.

"What is it?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow at me. Judging by his tone, I could tell he didn't like being watched.

"Nothing," I murmured nervously, quickly looking away.

"Silvia, speak," he said with growing agitation as he began walking to my side of the bed.

"I just… never mind. It's nothing," I whispered as my eyes remained locked on the ceiling.

"Must you always be so infuriating?" He growled, stopping in front of me.

"I'm just really confused," I said before rolling away from him onto my side. Ronan's large hand grabbed my shoulder and forced me to roll back over, and I was immediately met with glaring purple eyes.

"Confused about _what_? Speak your mind and be done with it," he said, his harsh tone flaring my own temper.

"I like you, OK? I don't know why, but I do," I blurted out. With an incredulous look on his face, Ronan took a step backwards and turned his body to the side, as if he was trying to distance himself from me.

"You cannot," he muttered as he looked at me from the corner of his eyes. I felt the familiar tightening knot of disappointment in my chest and throat, and to make the situation even worse my eyes began to water with tears.

"I can't control how I feel about you. Trust me, if I could turn it off I would," I sighed unhappily, closing my eyes from embarrassment.

"I am leaving, Silvia," he said quietly, and I nodded my head in agreement and gingerly wiped my tears away.

"Goodnight," I whispered, trying my best to avoid eye contact with him.

"No, you misunderstand. I leave in three days for a mission," he said more loudly, causing my face to wrinkle with confusion as I processed his words.

"How long will you be gone?" I asked, not even trying to hide the disappointment in my voice.

"I do not know. It could be a matter of weeks, perhaps months," he said, his voice growing softer as I began crying into my hands.

"Why are you doing this to me?" I cried out loudly as a wave of hopelessness washed over me.

"It is not my doing," he retorted angrily. "I was given orders," he said with clear resentment.

"Just take me home then! Please, let me go back to Earth," I desperately pleaded, sitting up in the bed to look at him.

"That is not going to happen," he said, his deep, guttural voice full of anger. I shook my head in disbelief as his steely glare burned into my face, silently warning me to drop the subject.

"Go to sleep," he barked, before turning and walking towards the door. After his careless dismissal of my feelings and then informing me that I could be alone here for months, I unsurprisingly lost my temper and every ounce of control.

"Damn you!" I shouted bitterly as I threw a pillow at his back, and he came to an abrupt halt. His fists tightened up at his sides, and he remained perfectly still as if debating whether or not to turn around.

"Look at me," I said, my voice shaking with anger.

After several seconds of him remaining turned away from me, I threw a second pillow at him, and he immediately snarled and began striding towards me. The intimidating sound of his heavy footsteps hitting the floor was nothing compared to the furious glare he was giving me. I could hear him breathing heavily through his flared nostrils as he came closer, but I remained frozen, staring at him with wide eyes. When he came within five feet of me, I forced myself to speak up.

"If I mean _anything_ to you, you won't hurt me," I said in a trembling voice. The remaining courage I had left nearly vanished when he pulled on my hair, forcing my head backwards to look up into his angry, blue face.

I winced at the sharp sting of his hand pulling on my scalp, but I did not lower my eyes from his because I wanted to witness every second of this moment. I wanted to see every twitch, every wrinkle, and every flicker of emotion that crossed his face, so I could discover how he truly felt about me.

As he held my hair in his tightly clenched fist, he pulled his other hand back as if he were going to strike me, and I instinctively raised my hands to protect myself, but his hand remained suspended in the air. With my hands held out in front of me, I watched as conflicting emotions danced across Ronan's handsome face, making his lip curl and his eyes flicker with resentment. It became clear that he was having some kind of internal battle with himself, and I desperately hoped his good side was winning.

A quiet growl escaped his tight lips before I noticed his hand twitch in the air, and I impulsively whimpered with fear and closed my eyes. It came as a complete surprise when his large, rough hands grasped both sides of my face and I felt his warm breath on my lips as he spoke.

"I should kill you now and put this madness behind me," he grumbled, but his tone lacked the conviction necessary for me to believe him. I slowly opened my eyes and found him lazily scanning my face, his purple orbs always returning to my plump, parted lips, as if he desired to taste them once again.

"You won't," I said quietly with confidence, although I could barely hear myself speak from the blood pounding in my ears.

"And why is that?" He asked with a sneer. His eyes flickered with curiosity as I placed my small hands on his broad shoulders.

Although he could have easily stopped me, I slowly leaned forward until our lips were gently pressing together, and started kissing him ever so sweetly. Ronan remained perfectly still as I softly kissed each corner of his mouth, but when I languorously grazed my lips across his, I felt his hands tighten around my face before he pulled me closer and easily took control of the kiss. His tongue traced my bottom lip before it gently parted my mouth and lightly swirled around my tongue, while one of his hands languidly ran down my bare back. It was a deep, sensual kiss that made my head dizzy and my skin tingle all over with excitement. He ended the kiss with an irritated growl and gently pressed his forehead against mine.

"That's why," I whispered under my breath. Ronan pulled his head back to look at me and I immediately noticed he appeared no longer angry, but rather tired and frustrated.

"Sleep, Silvia," he said in a low voice as he straightened himself up and looked down at me. He drew his brows together in a troubled manner before swiftly turning and walking out the door.

"Goodnight, Ronan," I whispered sadly as the door closed behind him.

Although he didn't admit it, I knew he liked me, especially after that kiss we just shared. He had to, right? Plus, he didn't hit me as he surely would have only a few days ago. That was a step up at least...

I can't believe I just thought that. What the fuck, Silvia? Since when did 'non-abusive' make the list for positive attributes? Jesus, I deserved a slap in the face for thinking that.

Domestic violence is definitely a no-no in any relationship, and if anything were to develop between Ronan and me, it would have to stop immediately. However, even if he were to stop, could Ronan make me happy or was sex clouding my judgement? He is an alien after all, not just another human man. Obviously he is not going to think or act human because he isn't one, and I needed to accept this if I wanted to be with him because I was not going to be receiving flowers or boxes of chocolates anytime soon. I had a feeling he was not the sweet, romantic type. Perhaps in his own way he was, but he surely would not hold up to Earth's standards of a perfect boyfriend by any means. Still, I would never know unless I tried…

Why did he have to leave now, right when things are getting better between us?

I tossed and turned throughout the night as dreams of lost love and abandonment plagued my mind.

The next morning I lazily rolled out of bed and began my morning ritual. After showering and picking out a pair of blue pants and a short-sleeved shirt, I headed for the courtyard for breakfast. As I walked down the steps I could see Ronan speaking heatedly with Nebula, whom I hardly saw anymore. His harsh, clipped tone suggested he was mad at her for something, but I couldn't imagine what she might have done. I couldn't hear everything he was saying, but as I came closer I detected the words _intelligence_, _discretion_, and _forces_.

"What's going on?" I asked cautiously, causing both Nebula and Ronan to stop and face me.

"What are you doing here?" Ronan asked in a harsh tone, his eyes filled with suspicion.

"I just wanted breakfast," I muttered nervously, not liking the way they were staring at me. Nebula pursed her lips in annoyance and turned to face Ronan before whispering something in his ear. Ronan stiffly nodded and continued to glare at me while Nebula proceeded to walk by me without a glance.

"It is disrespectful to pry into others' conversations," he said as he began casually walking towards me.

"I wasn't trying to be rude. It just looked...intense," I said irritably, not enjoying be scolded like a child.

"I have business to attend to and I shall be gone for the remainder of the day," he said as he stopped in front of me. Ronan smirked when he noticed me frown in response, and grabbed my chin and tilted my head back to face him.

"Pouting is unbecoming," he sneered with heavy eyes. As his gaze lowered to my lips, he quickly let go of my chin and brushed past me.

"You will have that pile completed by the time I return," he ordered as he made his way up the stairs. _So damn bossy, _I thought as I rolled my eyes.

For the remainder of the day all I did was eat and read, which I honestly did not mind at all. Ronan's servants kept the table filled with fresh, hot food, and the material I was reading was genuinely interesting. I was learning about things I had no idea even existed on my planet, such as a cube they called the Tesseract which possesses an unlimited amount of power. For some reason, a U.S. government agency called S.H.I.E.L.D., was trying to contain its power and use it, but every attempt thus far has been unsuccessful.

It seemed that the longer I read, the more bizarre the topics became. If it weren't for the red, bold letters spelling out 'classified' on the top, I wouldn't have believed some of this information. Apparently there were thousands of humans with special powers living on Earth. Men and women who could teleport, move objects with their minds, run faster than the speed of light, and even regenerate new limbs – it was unreal, but true. I couldn't even begin to imagine how the public would react if this information got out.

By the time Ronan returned, the sun was already down and I was on the couch lying dazed with shock. My mind faintly registered him standing over me, but it wasn't until he started speaking that I was pulled out of my daydream.

"If I discover that you've been sneaking into the medicine cabinet again…" He growled accusingly as he scanned my face with suspicion.

"Oh, um, no," I said sitting up. "I'm just…distracted. Did you know there are humans that can _teleport_? Well, I guess they technically aren't human," I mumbled, still confused about this whole topic. Ronan slowly sat down beside me and placed his hands on top of his thighs.

"Yes," he said tiredly. "My people created them," he added nonchalantly and leaned back against the couch.

"Um, what?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow. "I didn't know you've been to Earth," I said with blatant surprise as I twisted my body towards his.

"I haven't," he quickly replied, glancing at me from the side. He slowly blinked his eyes and exhaled deeply through his nose, almost identical to the way my mother does when she's annoyed.

"They are called the Inhumans," he said in a gruff tone. "A long time ago, Kree scientists genetically altered a primitive form of your species in order to create a powerful mutant race of soldiers for our use. Although the experiments were successful, the Inhumans proved themselves uncooperative, and the project was soon abandoned. Even without Kree assistance, they continued to thrive and evolve on your Terra's moon, and eventually many ventured to your planet," he said before standing up.

"People _live_ on our moon? That is…fucking unbelievable," I whispered in shock. Ronan glanced down at me impatiently, obviously annoyed with my lack of understanding, and slowly removed his helm.

"There will be a commemoration tomorrow to boost morale among the soldiers before our military campaign," he said as he looked down at me.

"Wait, _military campaign_? So, there's a chance you might die while you're gone?" I asked with rising concern, and Ronan immediately snorted at my question.

"No, I will not _die_," he sneered with repulsion before turning away.

"You should expect my servants in the morning," he said grumpily over his shoulder as he began making his way up the stairs.

I went to bed shortly after that, but I did not sleep very well. How could I after everything I learned today? Everything I thought about the universe was a lie, and my world's governments were in on it. Secret weapons, superhumans… what next? Godzilla? I was thankful there was nothing else for me to read, because I wasn't sure if my brain could handle another mind-blowing revelation.

Just as he said, Ronan's servants entered my room the next morning and silently woke me up. It was odd how I never once heard them make even the slightest sound, as if they were living spirits who walked on air and moved with the grace of water.

As they undressed me, I was happy to discover that my period was over. _Well, at least that's one less thing to worry about,_ I thought as I stepped into the warm water of the bath.

After being thoroughly washed and doused with therapeutic oils, the servants led me out of the bathroom and began combing my hair. They dressed me in a white, one-piece pant suit which had a high halter neck, so thankfully my cleavage was safely tucked away. It was made of a soft, flowy material, but it was form-fitting. Around my waist lied a gold chain which reminded me of the Aztec-type symbols I had seen on Ronan's ship. My wrists were also encased in thick, golden bracelets that felt surprisingly soft against my skin. My makeup was similar to last time, but my hair was pulled into a single, elaborate braid that started at the back of my head and hung over the front of my shoulder. By the time Ronan's servants were done with me, I was fit to walk the red carpet, and I felt more beautiful and confident than ever before.

Shortly after they left, Ronan walked in and smirked when he saw me. He languidly approached me as his luminous eyes wandered across my body, momentarily pausing at the golden belt around my waist.

"You look…" he said, his deep, sultry voice trailing off as he tilted my chin upwards.

"Like a _princess_," I answered in a teasing manner, mimicking him from yesterday.

"Yes, you do," he replied in a rather serious tone, causing my eyes to flicker with surprise.

"Well, thank you, Ronan," I whispered shyly as my face became suddenly warm. His thumb softly ran across my chin before he suddenly let go and began walking away.

"Come. Let's not keep Hal-Dan and his horde of imbeciles waiting," he muttered resentfully.

We were chauffeured to the festival in one of Ronan's obviously more luxurious ships. Its shining black exterior and sleek design reminded me that even though he was an alien, he was still a man, and apparently men across the universe enjoyed their toys. Judging from the looks we received when we exited the ship, he might as well have owned a Lamborghini.

"Perhaps I should start dressing you in rags," he said in an annoyed tone. He glanced around irritably as we entered a spherical, metal building and began making our way through the crowd.

"What are you talking about?" I whispered at his side, trying to keep up with his long strides.

"They are all staring at you," he growled quietly as the crowd parted for us.

"Maybe they're staring at _you_ because you look like you're about to rip someone's head off," I muttered under my breath. Ronan glanced over at me and snorted with amusement as we approached the center of the room.

There was a long, expansive table in the heart of an empty space and seated in the middle was Hal-Dan, who was dressed in his usual red, armored suit. There were about a dozen other Kree officials sitting among him, with Mac-Varr seated at the very end. Before I could stop myself, I glanced over at him and caught him playfully wink at me. Ronan must have seen it too because he hissed quietly next to me as we approached the large table.

"Ronan, how nice of you to finally join us," Hal-Dan said condescendingly as he leaned back in his tall, impressive chair.

"How nice, indeed," Ronan replied in a low voice, his eyes bearing into Hal-Dan's with contempt.

"Silvia," Hal-Dan called out, making me flinch with surprise. _How did he know my name? Oh, of course, Mac-Varr,_ I thought as I saw him smiling in the corner of my eye.

"I did not expect Ronan to honor my request of your presence tonight. I am pleased to see you here," he said with a tight smile that never reached his eyes.

"Likewise," I stiffly replied, my own smile lacking genuineness. The tension in the air felt almost suffocating. A second later, a large assortment of drums began playing an intimidating beat that made me shiver slightly.

"Please, help yourself to the food and wine," Hal-Dan said, motioning with his hand to the right side of the room. I nodded politely and glanced nervously at Ronan before making my way across the room.

Everywhere I looked there were crowds of elegantly dressed Kree people. The majority of the people here were military officials and soldiers, but there were also a large number of civilians – mostly women – who were wearing elaborate gowns and suits similar to mine. As I gingerly sipped on a glass of wine, I gazed around the room and noticed the blue Kree significantly outnumbered the white ones. When I looked closer and observed the segregation of races, it became clear that the blue Kree were the ones with the power.

I was nibbling on a small piece of sweetened bread when I noticed Jul-Linn appear at my side almost inconspicuously. She flashed her teeth at me in a mischievous smile as she reached for a small, round fruit on the table and popped it in her mouth. I stared at her with obvious dislike, no longer afraid of what she might say to me.

"Keep staring at me like that and I'll start to think you hate me," she said in a sarcastic tone as she stepped closer to me.

"I don't hate you. I actually pity you," I boldly replied, trying not to laugh as Jul-Linn's smile faltered.

"Pity _me_?" She asked, her voice going rough with rage. "Who do you think you're talking to, Terran?" She asked, spitting the last word with disgust.

"I'm talking to a disgusting, cheating _whore_," I answered, my own voice rising with anger. Jul-Linn's lips parted in shock before they curled back, revealing her bright, white teeth.

"You –," she snarled, taking a step closer before Mac-Varr stepped between us.

"Jul-Linn, quit tormenting the poor girl," he said smoothly. He casually picked a piece of bread off the table as Jul-Linn seethed with rage in front of him.

"This vermin –," she growled.

"Do not cause a scene," he interrupted, holding his finger up to her as if she were a child. He slowly turned to face her before speaking again.

"You know as well as I do that there are more _dignified_ ways of handling such a matter," he said light-heartedly with his back to me.

There seemed to be some kind of significant exchange between the two, because within seconds Jul-Linn was smirking up at him with a malicious glint in her eye. She briefly glanced at me before strolling away with her head held high, looking rather celebratory.

"I didn't need your help," I grumbled as Mac-Varr remained facing the opposite direction. He casually turned to face me and smiled at me sincerely.

"Of course not, Silvia," he agreed, his dimples deepening as his grin widened.

"You should have avoided her as I advised you to do," he said in a light tone. "She is a fiery one," he said with a chuckle.

"You would know, wouldn't you?" I retorted sarcastically before taking a sip of wine.

"Yes, I would," he replied almost immediately with a smile.

"I hope you enjoy the festivities. They should prove to be rather entertaining," he said in an amused tone as he lazily walked away, thankfully leaving me alone.

Over the next hour, I wandered around the room while the daunting pounding of drums echoed my footsteps. Although the loud, ominous thumps made my heart race with anxiety, there was something strangely intoxicating about the sound. It was both terrorizing and hypnotizing to feel the heavy vibrations flow through my body, but the Kree crowd around me seemed to be very little affected by the large ensemble of drums. Military members of all ranks drank and conversed together, while some got into heated arguments. I received a large amount of smiles and nods, but there were also a handful of glares that made me cringe on the inside. There was no dancing, no laughter, or typical party games, but instead a plethora of patriotic speeches and drunken debates.

Eventually, I ran into Ronan where he was conversing with a group of high-ranking military officials. As he nodded gently in my direction, the pounding of the drums immediately ceased and the entire room became silent. Ronan casually walked up to my side as he held a large goblet in his hand and turned towards the large, empty square in the middle of the room. A large, blue man wearing the typical silver armor of a solider walked into the space and held out his hands to his sides.

"I submit Dar-Van into the tilt," he declared loudly into the crowd, and seconds later another large, blue soldier entered the space.

"What's going on?" I whispered next to Ronan.

"Our finest warriors will melee for the title of Primo Commando, the First Soldier," he said as he eyed the table where Hal-Dan and his men were sitting.

"Let the championship begin," Hal-Dan announced as he stood up from his chair. Almost immediately the two large men ran at each other with crushing force, growling as their bodies collided together.

"Shouldn't you be fighting _together_ though?" I asked, wincing as the slightly smaller man was slammed onto the ground.

"It is healthy for the soldiers to release unwanted tension before battle. It clears their minds and keeps their skills sharp," he said quietly next to me, smirking as I shuddered next to him.

"They're going to kill each other," I whispered nervously as the larger man was placed in a chokehold.

"No, only until one is forced into submission. Watch," he said seriously. I looked on with surprise as the man in the chokehold tapped the other man's hand and was immediately released. The men briefly tapped each other's shoulders before the larger man exited the square and the smaller one remained.

"I submit Tokk," he called out above the cheering crowd.

This time he was not so lucky and was forced out by a larger man wearing a red uniform. The man in the red uniform successfully defeated three more men before being submitted into an arm bar by a bulky green-armored man.

"Why don't you fight?" I asked curiously as we watched the bulky man defeat his second opponent. When he didn't answer, I turned my head and noticed he was looking down at me with his eyebrows drawn together.

"Because I do not have to prove myself," he grumbled, frowning at me as if he couldn't believe I asked him that. I shrugged my shoulders at him in an apologetic way and was surprised to hear him snigger in response, as if he found the gesture funny.

I found myself smiling at the unexpected noise and turned my head forward once again to the square, completely aware of Ronan watching me from the side. The man in green walked towards the center of the square and held out his hands at his sides like the first soldier.

"I submit Jul-Linn," he shouted with a smile on his face, and I immediately sensed Ronan tense up next to me. Jul-Linn strode into the square with a haughty smile on her face as the crowd cheered with excitement. She placed herself only ten feet away from the large man and assumed one of the fighting stances Nebula had taught me.

Watching her fight made me rethink the way I spoke to her earlier, because she was fearsome, unrelenting, and ruthless in the square. The powerful blows she dealt to the man went nearly undetected by my eyes. Before watching her, I didn't think it was possible to move so fast or flip so high in the air, but she proved me wrong. She truly was a great warrior, and it was intimidating as hell to witness it for myself.

I swallowed nervously and looked over at Ronan, who to my surprise was not watching the fight but glaring angrily into his goblet. When I heard the thunderous sound of people stomping their feet, I looked up and saw Jul-Linn lying parallel to the man on the floor. Her entire body was wrapped around both of his arms, pulling them into what looked like a painful double arm bar. The man tapped his foot on the ground and Jul-Linn immediately released the man with a triumphant smile. As she patted the man's back, her eyes found me in the crowd and seemed to darken with vicious intent.

She walked to the center of the square and without hesitation, pointed directly at me.

"I submit _Silvia_," she loudly declared, making my lips part with shock. A deathly silence descended upon the room as I felt hundreds of eyes on me at once.

Almost instantaneously my view was blocked as Ronan stepped in front of me, blocking me from her.

"No," he snarled as the people around us slowly backed away.

"Why _not_?" Jul-Linn asked in a sickly sweet voice.

"Yes, Ronan, why not?" I heard Hal-Dan ask from his table. When I glanced around the room I could see many people in the crowd staring at me; some looked at me with pity, others with piqued curiosity.

"She is not a _soldier_," Ronan growled with rising anger. My heart anxiously hammered away in my chest as Ronan continued standing protectively in front of me.

"She serves you, does she not? You cannot tell me you have accrued a Terran _civilian_ into your company," he said in a derisive tone. Ronan remained silent and completely still as he faced Hal-Dan's table.

"A little combat will be good for her," Hal-Dan said mockingly, and instantly the room became filled with hushed whisperings and murmurs. I watched with growing apprehension as Ronan widened his stance, readying himself to fight.

"That _is _an order, Ronan," Hal-Dan declared seriously, his voice dropping with warning. The crowd once again went silent as a noticeable tension filled the room.

"Ronan, it's fine," I whispered nervously behind him, not wanting him to get in trouble.

After several seconds Ronan slowly turned around to face me and my stomach twisted with unease. His face was wrinkled with horrible rage and his knuckles were nearly white as he clenched his fists, but I knew his fury was not directed at me so I was not afraid. He stepped to the side of me, unblocking my view of Jul-Linn who was giving me a devilish smile, and I instantly felt my mouth run dry with anxiety.

"Do _not_ let her harm you. _Submit_, Silvia," he harshly whispered next to me. I nodded meekly in response and stepped forward into the square.

As I kicked off my slightly heeled shoes, I glanced at Hal-Dan's table and noticed Mac-Varr watching me intently with an uneasy smile. Hal-Dan on the other hand looked absolutely thrilled, though I had no idea why.

I cautiously approached the center of the square, now breathing audibly with fear as Jul-Linn centered herself in front of me. She stopped within five feet of me and her eyes widened with maddened, violent blood-lust.

"I am going to _destroy_ you," she hissed so only I could hear. Her words sparked something in me that I could not describe as anything other than pure hatred. A hatred that made my blood boil and my heart pound wildly with adrenaline.

_No. I'm sorry, Ronan. I will not submit to her. Never. _

"You may begin," Hal-Dan announced, though I barely heard him above the sound of my beating heart.

And it was on.

* * *

**Author's Note: Oh yeahhhhhh... it's on ;) **

**Sorry this update took longer than the rest, but I made it longer to make up for it!**

**Thank you so, so, so much for the reviews/favs/follows. I love you guys :) **

**As you may have guessed... the next few chapters are going to be rather intense.**

**Reviews are always welcome and helpful. Thanks! :)**


	14. Part I: Chapter 14

_**Chapter song: Prisoner of Pride by Jordan Léser**_

* * *

After only ten seconds in the square, I realized that I was probably way in over my head and would regret my decision to fight her. Although Ronan's blood had made me stronger than before, I was still nowhere near as fast as Jul-Linn. As she ran towards me with terrifying speed, I almost considered running away but I knew that would be a cowardice thing to do, so I braced myself.

Her foot connected with my face before I even saw it move, and the shocking pain that followed made me cry out against my will. The sudden impact sent me to the ground, where I could see Jul-Linn smiling down at me with an awful expression of joy. She backed away from me and I immediately pushed myself up, despite my survival instincts telling me not to. With the back of my hand, I quickly wiped away the blood which had begun trickling down my forehead.

She did not want to simply force me into submission, she wanted to seriously injure me, or worse, _kill me_.

Again, she came at me with a mirage of attacks, of which only half of them I was able to block. Although my body could sustain the punches and kicks she was repeatedly delivering to me, it was still humiliating to be thrown around like a ragdoll. After a particularly painful elbow to the face, I staggered slightly on my feet and tried to collect myself as stars danced before my eyes. My eyes remained locked on Jul-Linn, although I could feel Ronan's eyes on me, silently demanding my attention.

The crowd remained uncomfortably quiet as Jul-Linn continued relentlessly beating my body, unlike in the previous matches in which they cheered and clapped in her favor. It was because there was no pride in this or glory to be made from beating a Terran woman. She was no longer playing the role of a warrior, only a vindictive bitch.

My body severely ached from her powerful blows, but I continued on. Every time I pulled myself up from the ground, her smile would falter with dissatisfaction. As her frustration grew, her fighting technique became more erratic and less disciplined. She was still faster than me, but she was becoming sloppy and I was mostly able to dodge her blows at the last second. I was even able to get a few hits in myself, which only infuriated her even more. After kicking her in the thigh and giving her a dead leg, she limped backwards and growled at me with furious irritation.

My hands unknowingly twitched at my sides, yearning for something, anything to wrap their fingers around. What I first thought to be nerves was beginning to feel like so much more. I knew now that there was something growing inside of me. Every time I came in contact with her skin, it grew even stronger. It was an unfamiliar energy that made my muscles tingle, urging me to do _something_ but I didn't know what. It felt instinctual, but it was unnatural - at least for _me _it was.

Even as blood leaked out of my nose and onto my beautiful suit, I couldn't help but smile. The disgruntled murmurings among the crowd and the raging, bewildered stare she was giving me made it obvious that no one expected me to last this long. Because how could a mere Terran _civilian_ withstand one of the Kree's finest warriors? Of course, they didn't know my secret. _Ronan's_ secret. But I had a feeling they knew I was more than just Terran now, and I intended for them to never forget it.

My confidence slowly returned, though I wasn't sure if that was because of the uneasy look Jul-Linn was giving me, or the tingling, hungry sensation I could feel spreading throughout my limbs. Instead of waiting for her to attack me again, I decided to take the offensive this time.

Judging by the shocked look on her face and the angry snarl that followed, Jul-Linn was not expecting such a brazen attempt on my part. I used almost every offensive move Nebula ever taught me, but Jul-Linn was able to block the majority of them. However, the few times I did manage to hit her was enough to bring her down to one knee, finally giving me the advantage.

I rushed forward in an effort to pin her in a chokehold, only to find myself suddenly overpowered. She twisted her body around mine and wrapped her arm around my neck, ironically using the same chokehold I was about to use on her. When I found myself unable to breathe, my eyes widened with panic and frantically scanned the crowd for Ronan, but I did not have to look for very long. He was standing directly in my line of sight, looking furious as always. As he watched us, he clenched and unclenched his hands at his sides, obviously trying to control the rage that visibly burned in his eyes.

Everything became muffled as my brain yearned for oxygen, but I could not find the will to submit to this woman, even if it meant passing out. The second my knees hit the floor, Ronan took a step forward and glared at me with noticeable frustration. I lifted my hands and grabbed onto Jul-Linn's bare arm, trying desperately to pull it away before I lost consciousness. Much to my relief, her grip instantly weakened around my neck and once again I was able to breathe. The tingling sensation I felt in my body became concentrated in my hands, almost making them feel like they were buzzing with electricity.

As my fingers dug hungrily into her skin, waves of energy seemed to roll through my arms and down my spine. I glanced upwards in Ronan's direction and found his expression had relaxed, though his eyes still burned with ferocious intensity. His head slightly turned away at the sound of Hal-Dan's voice, but his eyes remained focused on me, watching intently.

"Submit, Terran," Hal-Dan ordered tiredly from his table.

"You should listen to him," Jul-Linn said in a strained voice as her grip continued to weaken.

"No," I growled irritably, suddenly feeling more energized than before.

I grabbed onto her left wrist and twirled my body in the opposite direction, successfully placing her in a standing arm bar. Every time she moved, I would raise her arm a little higher, forcing her to bend over more. She cursed and growled loudly in response, breathing erratically from pain. I looked around the crowd and saw many people staring with shock at Jul-Linn, while others looked at me with a mixture of suspicion and amazement.

"Are you ready to submit yet?" I asked loudly over her shoulder.

"Not to you, _scum_," she snarled furiously back at me.

I sighed frustratedly and glanced at Ronan, surprised to see him smirking at me with his chin held high. I looked into his eyes, silently asking him what I should do next, and saw the corners of his mouth curve upwards as if he knew what I was asking.

"Are you sure?" I asked, still looking at Ronan. I wasn't sure if my question was directed more towards him or Jul-Linn.

"Are you deaf? I will NEVER submit to a _disgusting_…" After a few seconds I blocked her voice out. I saw Ronan's head nod in my direction, telling me what to do.

"Enough of this," I heard Hal-Dan shout from the table, but all I could focus on was Ronan, who was now grinning so deviously it made me smile too. My ears tuned back into Jul-Linn's angry, hateful rant and I rolled my eyes in response.

"….unworthy primitive who –" And with a quick jerk of my hands, she was no longer speaking.

I heard her arm break before she began hollering in pain, and I quickly released her and walked over to Ronan. He glared contemptuously in Hal-Dan's direction before turning and casually walking into the crowd of soldiers, whom eagerly parted for us.

Even as Jul-Linn hollered with rage and pain on the floor, the crowd remained silent. As we walked towards the exit, I felt several people tap my shoulder as I had seen them do after previous matches. I assumed it was a sign of respect or admiration, but now I wasn't so sure. I just defeated one of their favorite soldiers; shouldn't they hate me right now? A minute later we were back in Ronan's ship heading home, sitting next to each other in content silence. I absently picked at the crusty blood on my lip and under my nose as I reflected on what just happened. My body felt truly amazing at the moment, which was confusing as hell considering I just got into a fight with a blue, Amazon woman.

"You never obey my orders," Ronan said, breaking the silence.

"That's not true," I replied. "Remember in the shower?" I asked in a playful tone. He looked over at me and openly eyed my figure up and down while his eyes grew heavy with thought.

"I do indeed remember. That is a moment not soon to be forgotten," he said with a smirk.

A few seconds later we arrived at the house and were immediately greeted by his guards, who promptly opened the double doors on the terrace. As we walked side by side down the hallway, I looked at Ronan's large hand and watched it slowly swing next to me. I brazenly reached for it and lightly grazed my fingers along his rough palm before sliding them between the gaps in his fingers. He immediately stopped walking and pulled his hand away from me, glaring with annoyance.

"Do not do that," he said in a rough voice.

"Why?" I asked as I placed my hands on my hips.

"It is inappropriate for a Kree of my ranking," he said, narrowing his eyes with irritation.

"You're ridiculous," I said under my breath as I began walking away. Within seconds I felt Ronan roughly grab my hand, interlacing his large fingers with my own, and I quickly stopped to face him.

"No, _this_ is ridiculous," he sneered, lifting our interlocked hands up in front of my face.

"I like it," I replied honestly.

"Well, I do _not_," he grumbled as he lowered our hands back down.

"Then why are you still holding my hand?" I asked, genuinely curious. His eyes flickered with surprise as he glanced down at our hands, and immediately grimaced at the sight. A second later, he released his hold on my hand and continued walking ahead of me.

"The stench of your sweat is fouling the air. Join me for dinner when you are done washing the filth away. Do _not_ keep me waiting long," he said in a commanding tone over his shoulder. I sniffed my armpits as I walked behind him, trying to find the stench he was talking about, but everything smelled normal to me.

"Fine," I muttered quietly, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

As soon as I entered my room I began stripping my spoiled clothes off and angrily threw them down on the floor. Ronan could be a real _dick_ sometimes, and half the time I don't even think he's trying to be one. He really doesn't have a filter at all and only speaks the truth, no matter how brutal and cold it could be. I lathered myself in scented soaps and meticulously scrubbed my body until my skin was pink. By the time I stepped out of the shower, I felt cleaner than I ever had before in my life.

I tiredly walked over to my bed and sat down on the edge as exhaustion overcame me. My eyes began drifting closed as I sluggishly combed my hair, and I half-consciously pulled myself up onto the bed and lied down. My mind stubbornly fought against my body which seemed to be quickly shutting down. Within seconds I was asleep against my will.

* * *

**Ronan**

He did not have the patience to deal with this insolent woman. An hour should more than suffice to bathe, yet she still remained hidden in her room. As the minutes passed and his goblet became less heavy, his anger only grew. Her failure to follow a simple order infuriated him beyond belief. _She should be punished for such blatant disrespect_, he thought as he easily crushed the metal goblet in his hand. It was his last night with the Terran, and now it shall be tainted with her tears.

As he stood up, he glared angrily at her empty chair and felt his lips curl back in a snarl. By the time he reached her door he had already thought of several different forms of punishment, all of which would result in her pleading for mercy, _or his cock_, he had not yet decided. He stormed furiously into the room expecting to find her dawdling around like a stubborn child, only to find her nude and unconscious on the bed.

The sight of her naked body stirred him more than he cared to admit. In all his years of existence, his eyes had never witnessed such an exquisite woman. When she revealed her virginal status to him, it pleased him greatly, though he was regretful to have discovered it in such a way.

Her unrivaled beauty is what stopped him from killing her that first night aboard the Dark Aster. He reflected on that night quite often. The sound of her delicate, trembling voice was enough to capture his attention, and he was not disappointed when he first saw her. As a master of interrogation, he could easily detect her attraction towards him, even if it was only at a subconscious level. He was furious when she lied to him, but he was grateful to have a reason to put his hands on her, even if it meant torturing her. Her screams from that night still haunted him in his sleep, though he knew not why.

It was not often he encountered a brazen spirit such as hers, and he admired the fight in her. Hearing her beg for death after Xandar's destruction only encouraged him to keep her alive. He enjoyed a challenge, and Silvia was a spark in a sea of darkness. He could not allow a fire as bright as hers to be extinguished so quickly. When she escaped from the Dark Aster he truly was impressed. It was the same night he decided to keep her for his own use. The thought of her leaving against his will nearly drove him mad, but the chase thrilled him and fueled his desire to conquer her.

Then the meteoroid struck her fragile, Terran body, and he was forced to watch her lifeless form float in space before him. When he discovered her weak pulse, he was enticed by the thought of possessing her once again, so he made the decision to save her. It was far too impulsive for his taste, but time was of the essence. If he knew then what she would become to him, he would have left her for dead. He was certain of that.

He thrived on power and control, but with Silvia he had none. She infuriated him, yet he could not kill her, much to his irritation. Nor could he release her. The thought of another man's hands on her filled him with murderous rage. No, he would never let her go.

As he watched her sleep – as he had done so countless times before – he imagined snapping her neck and ending her short life. It would be a merciful death, free of pain and fear. Several times he had come close to doing so, but he always stopped at the last second. _Damn her_, he thought as his hands traced the curve of her hip.

Looking down at her voluptuous, vulnerable body was enough to make him forgo his plans of punishment. Perhaps it was for the best. In truth, he was growing rather tired of her tears. He much preferred seeing her smile, especially when it was directed towards him. It was a welcome sight in these dark times.

Terrans were far too emotional for his liking, but they certainly were endearing. Silvia's emotional confessions made him uncomfortable, yet he held a strange fascination for them. At times she appeared incapable of controlling herself as the fire of her passionate youth burned her from within. He could sense her relief when she voiced her absurd, spontaneous thoughts aloud, which she did quite often these days. This irritated him greatly, as did most of her qualities, but he admired her zealousness. At first he believed her unbridled attitude to be a curse, but now he was learning to use it to his advantage. Her willingness to express herself made her vulnerable, and he reveled in this newly-founded power.

Yet he was not content.

She poisoned his mind like a true harpy, and for this he resented her. He could not recall a time in his life when he had desired a woman as strongly as he did now. She was only meant to be a challenge to him, a meaningless pastime for entertainment, but now his thoughts were consumed of her. He despised himself, _despised her_, yet yearned for her.

Now that he possessed the infinity stone, he was nearly invincible. Even the almighty Thanos could not stop him now. The thought of his hideous, arrogant face caused him to grimace with disgust. Not a second later, he heard Silvia's heart unexpectedly flutter as if she had seen the repulsive image inside his mind. Looking at her soft, feminine face reminded him of the importance of power and his need to protect her. He took great pride in his possessions, and Silvia was without a doubt his favorite, despite the suffering she caused him.

His blood, enriched with the stone's energy, transferred a great amount of power into her small body. It was truly remarkable watching a tiny, delicate creature such as herself transform into a powerful woman. Her fight against that treacherous witch today proved she was more than capable of standing her ground. Alas, she was still unaware of her full potential and he intended on keeping her in the dark, where she belonged with him. Even if she reached her maximum strength, he was confident in his ability to overpower her – _if_ that day ever came. He took immense pleasure in watching her break Jul-Linn's bones today, but if he was not careful, she would become too powerful for her own good – _and his as well_.

The glow of her pale skin in the moonlight reminded him of his time spent with the oracle of Indigarr, though Silvia was far more beautiful. He contemplated taking her right then as she slept. _She would undoubtedly enjoy it,_ he thought as his fingers graced her inner thigh. The soft whimper that followed only confirmed his speculation, and his hand traveled further up her leg. He gently parted her thighs and was met with the lovely sight of her inner pink folds peering through her slit. Blood rushed to his groin as he smelled her glistening arousal, that sweet, intoxicating scent that was distinctive among Terran women. Silvia's fragrance was a natural aphrodisiac for him, driving him mad with lust. The thought of tasting her upon his lips made his cock ache with need, and without hesitation he pushed his face into her slick heat, claiming her with his mouth.

He rarely indulged in the female anatomy, not because the act displeased him, but rather, he found the women unworthy of such great pleasure. For the ones he did find worthy, many refused for reasons he had yet to understand. Now that he had tasted Silvia's cunt, he knew it would become a regular habit of his, even if she refused him. _Aphrodite could not have tasted any better_, he thought as his tongue eagerly licked her nectarous juices.

A soft, feminine moan passed her lips and he immediately retracted his head from between her thighs. He could tell from the rhythm of her heart that she was beginning to wake, so he patiently waited and stood over her, admiring the serene expression on her face. Her long, blonde eyelashes fluttered against her skin as she began lazily blinking, coming to her senses. When she saw him standing over her, she immediately gasped with shock and straightened herself up in the bed. He smirked down at the small woman, proud of the effect he had on her, and slowly sat down on the edge of the bed.

_Yes, I will enjoy feeling her squirm against my face._

* * *

**Silvia**

My eyes, still heavy with sleep, stared at Ronan with suspicion as he seated himself only inches away from me. It was creepy as hell finding him standing over my bed, especially when only seconds before I woke up I had been dreaming of him. These days he was all I ever dreamed about, and most of the time the dreams left me aroused and frustrated. However, dreams usually didn't leave me feeling this insanely horny. When I felt the wetness between my legs, my face flushed with embarrassment and I immediately closed my thighs, trying to hide the evidence. Ronan's smirk deepened as he leered at me, obviously aware of what I was doing.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to sound confident but failing miserably. The hunger in his eyes was more than a little unnerving.

"I was watching you sleep," he answered as he slowly slipped his hand between my legs, making me forget about his creepy response. With a slight push of his hand, my legs easily parted for him, giving him access to my wetness.

He did not go straight for my center as I had hoped he would. Instead, his fingers gently grazed the skin outside my folds, tracing slow, tortuous circles in a teasing manner.

"Please," I breathed lustfully, watching his fingers once again avoid the place where I wanted them most.

"Please, what?" He purred darkly.

"Stop teasing me," I whispered, feeling more frustrated by the second.

"You did not follow my instructions, Silvia," he said, causing me to look up with confusion. "_Dinner_," he reminded me in an annoyed tone.

"But… I fell asleep. It was an accident," I whined, looking back between his hand and his face. His fingers stopped right above the crease of my slit, taunting me with their proximity. "Please, Ronan," I whimpered.

"I do not reward insolent behavior," he replied in a casual tone, making my mouth drop open in disbelief.

"Please, just tell me what to do," I said with mild desperation. He smirked at me as if my question pleased him.

"There is nothing _you_ can do," he replied smugly, running his fingers along the apex of my thighs. I quickly caught on to his game.

"What do _you_ want to do?" I asked slowly and hesitantly. His eyes wrinkled with satisfaction before looking into my face once again.

"First, promise me you will not refuse," he said, leaning in closer to my face. "And in return, I will make you writhe with pleasure," he whispered darkly into my ear.

"OK, yes, fine, I promise," I said, feeling light-headed with lust. His lips curved triumphantly before he stood up and began removing his armor.

When he pulled himself up onto the bed and positioned his body above mine, I was almost too happy for words. His mouth began sucking on my neck, slowly trailing down to my collar bone, then to my breasts. I expected him to come back up, but his head kept going lower and lower until suddenly I realized what he intended on doing. My hands grabbed his head as he began kissing below my belly button, trying to pull him away, but he continued trailing downwards.

"Wait, don't," I muttered nervously as he positioned his body between my legs, his mouth only inches away from my mound.

"You gave me your word," he growled impatiently, ignoring my plea.

He pushed my thighs up and out, throwing them over his shoulders so I could not move. His fingers began spreading my lips open, making me feel more vulnerable than ever, and his eyes darkened at the sight of my bright pink flesh and swollen clit. I reached down with my hands to try to cover myself and he immediately swatted my hands away with an impatient glare.

"Don't look at me, please. I – I'm not – " I said, trying to push his head away.

"Stop," he ordered, glaring up at me. His expression softened when we made eye contact.

"You have no reason to be ashamed of your body_,_" he said seriously."You are beautiful, Silvia."

"You think… I'm beautiful?" I whispered, feeling as if I were going to cry with joy. Ronan's eyes narrowed with annoyance as he examined my face, and his fingers once again spread my lips apart.

"No more speaking," he grumbled irritably before looking back down. I watched as his eyes once again filled with desire as he peered at my exposed flesh. Before I could protest, his mouth eagerly lowered down to my folds, and I immediately became lost in pleasure.

It was heaven.

His warm, wet tongue quickly made me forget about my embarrassment, and I was squirming against his face in seconds. My hands gripped desperately at the bed sheets, pulling and twisting them in an effort to release sexual tension. The second I felt his tongue slide past my entrance, I moaned loudly and ran my hands along his smooth, bald head, pushing his face further into me. When I heard him softly groan against my flesh, I knew he was enjoying it as well. Less than a minute later, I came harder than I ever had before in my life. His hands dug into the back of my thighs, holding me still and pulling me closer as I climaxed. My legs quivered on his shoulders as his tongue lapped hungrily at my juices, pushing his mouth further into my folds, covering his face with them. I could feel and hear his heavy, lustful breathing as I attempted to push his head away, my body now shaking from overstimulation.

"Take me, now, please," I said in a trembling voice. He looked up at me from between my legs with heavy-lidded eyes and emitted a lustful growl, slightly revealing his white, bright teeth.

Within seconds he was inside of me, driving his thick length into me with powerful thrusts, causing the bed to shake. He took me on my back, on my side, from behind, and on my stomach, the last of which I particularly enjoyed. He was my own personal sex god, making me cum more times than I imagined possible, turning me into a screaming, sweaty mess. Large, blue hands which I once feared caressed my body and held me down, pinning me underneath his massive build, and I loved every second of it. I wished at that moment that he could be inside me all the time, but it wasn't the pleasure making me wish for such a thing, it was the intimacy. Sex was the only time we were so close, so honest with each other, bearing our true emotions and desires to one another without fear. When I heard him groan with pleasure, I knew he was about to cum. I wrapped my legs tightly around his waist, preventing him from pulling out when he was done.

If we stopped now, I would only think about tomorrow.

"Silvia, let go," he said as he attempted to pull away. I shook my head in response and wrapped my arms around his torso, holding myself tightly against him. I could feel his length softening inside me.

The steady, powerful beat of his heart soothed me as I pressed my ear against his chest.

"It is over, release me," he said more forcefully as he continued lying on top of me. Tears began forming in my eyes as I thought about him leaving tomorrow, abandoning me here with no return date in mind.

"I don't want you to leave," I said quietly, my voice cracking at the end. Ronan loudly exhaled and pulled himself off the bed, with me still holding onto him like some desperate monkey.

"I will remove you if I must," he said in an annoyed tone. In response, I tightened my limbs around his shoulders and hips, not wanting to let go.

"Look at me, Silvia," he ordered softly, and I slowly looked up from his chest. He frowned with displeasure when he saw the tears running down my face. His hands gently caressed the sides of my head while his thumbs ran across my cheeks, wiping away my tears.

"You are a ridiculous woman," he stated irritably, though his eyes did not show any anger. With a sigh he began walking to the bathroom and headed for the white stone tub, instantly making my heart race with fear.

"I am not going to hurt you," he said as one of his hands glided down my bare back. I relaxed slightly and watched him fill the tub with clear liquids, some of which smelled like amber and produced large, shimmering bubbles.

"Get in," he said, motioning to the tub with his hand. I hesitantly released my grip on him and lowered myself down to the floor, trying carefully not to step on his large feet.

As I slowly turned around and stepped into the deep, elegant tub, I saw movement in the corner of my eye and quickly turned my head in its direction, only to find Ronan standing by the cabinets. He glanced at me and began making his way back to me with his hands clenched at his sides.

Much to my surprise, he joined me in the tub and sat behind me, pulling me into him so my back was pressed against his chest. He positioned one leg on either side of me, making me feel like I was safely tucked inside a warm, blue cocoon. I sighed contentedly and leaned into him, relishing in our close proximity. He gathered my hair in one hand and laid it across my left shoulder, before his fingers began gently stroking the side of my exposed neck.

"Don't go tomorrow," I whispered, gently squeezing his thighs beneath the water. His legs felt like marble in my hands, impeccably hard yet smooth on the surface.

"I must," he replied softly as his thumb glided across the artery of my neck.

"Take me with you then," I said. The thought of staying here alone, surrounded by people who mistrusted and despised me, sounded miserable.

"I cannot," he said. I couldn't see his face but he sounded really unhappy at the moment, as if he were displeased by something.

A few minutes of silence passed before I spoke again.

"I'm yours, right?" I said, leaning my head back against his chest.

"Yes," he calmly answered. His hand had begun absently running along my left arm, causing goosebumps to form on the surface.

I nervously licked my lips as I thought about what I was going to ask next.

"So… does that make you mine?" I whispered.

Though his fingers momentarily paused against my skin, he did not answer me as I had hoped he would. After a brief awkward silence his fingers continued grazing my skin, soothing me and tormenting me at the same time.

"I might not be here when you get back," I said under my breath. _Maybe if I provoke him he will be tempted to take me with him. _"I'm sure I can catch a ride back to Earth."

"I can assure you that will not happen," he immediately replied, his hands never skipping a beat. I pouted unhappily and slouched against him, feeling defeated. _Please, just take me with you._

"Can I ask you something?" I said as my fingers played with the bubbles.

"If you must," he muttered with irritation. I tilted my head slightly to look up at him from the side, but I still couldn't really see his face. He was too tall for me, even sitting down.

"Answer me honestly," I said, pausing for a few seconds, "Why do you want me to stay?"

"Some wants and desires cannot be explained," he said quietly, stroking my hair.

More minutes passed.

"Will you miss me?" I asked quietly. When he didn't answer me, I turned my head to look at him and immediately felt a sharp sting in my neck, making me gasp with surprise.

A few seconds later, everything in my line of sight became blurry. My head spun as I turned to face Ronan and weakly grabbed his shoulders, now feeling as if I were going to pass out at any second. I clung desperately onto my fleeting consciousness and peered into his nearly unrecognizable face, before asking one last question.

"_Why?_"

And then everything faded to black.

* * *

**Ronan**

When he felt her body go limp in his arms, he breathed a sigh of relief. _This was for the best_. He could not bear another minute of her ridiculous comments and questions. Although she failed to change his mind, she instilled a fearsome amount of doubt within him. It would be a lie to say he had not considered taking her with him, but ultimately he knew it would be far too dangerous. He could not risk losing her.

Her comment about leaving while he was away irritated him tremendously, but he knew this would be impossible for her. Nebula would stay behind and watch her for him, as she swore to do. He smirked as he imagined Silvia's reaction to this news.

He gathered her in his arms and carried her to the bed, where he gently laid her to rest. He discarded the syringe he still held in his hand and returned to watch Silvia sleep one last time before he left. She will undoubtedly be furious with him when she awakens; however, he will already be thousands of miles away when that time came.

_Yes, I will miss you._

He was never fond of farewells.

* * *

**Silvia**

Light. Annoying, blinding light. Why was it so bright in here? My hands lazily reached out to my sides and felt silky sheets beneath them, instantly alerting me that something was wrong._ I should be in the bathtub, not in my bed. _I slowly opened my eyelids and squinted at the overbearing sunlight which shone through my window. I abruptly sat up as I noted the position of the sun in the sky. It was already late afternoon.

Where was Ronan? _No, no, no._

I hobbled off the bed and swayed to the side, feeling suddenly dizzy from exertion. The sensation of vertigo reminded me of the feeling I had in the tub last night. As my hands grazed a slight bump on my neck, I became livid. _He drugged me. That son of a bitch drugged me! _I hollered with rage as I began wobbling towards the door, stopping every few feet to catch myself from falling.

I couldn't imagine why he would do such a thing to me, especially on our last night together. _Oh wait, he's a psychopath, that's why. _After nearly five minutes I managed to make it to the stairs and immediately noticed Nebula sitting on one of the couches. _Good, I haven't missed him yet_. I sighed with relief and began carefully making my way down the wide stairs.

When Nebula noted my appearance she casually strutted towards me with an impatient look on her face. She quickly ascended the stairs and grabbed ahold of my arm, guiding me down the remainder of steps.

"You shouldn't be walking around, Terran," she said unhappily.

"_Silvia_," I corrected. "Where's Ronan?" I asked with a growl.

She smiled slightly at the irritation in my voice. "He left early this morning," she said as we approached the couches. All movement came to a halt as I processed her words.

"_He left?_ He didn't even say bye," I gasped, suddenly feeling sick to my stomach.

Nebula cocked an eyebrow at me. "And this surprises you?" she said sarcastically.

"No… I guess it doesn't," I mumbled as she placed me on the couch. I sat there with my lips parted in shock and stared at the wall in front of me, wondering where he was at this moment and if he was thinking of me.

"You should eat," Nebula said from beside the dining table. I knew from her tone that it was more of a command and less of a suggestion. I nodded absently, not wanting to argue.

A minute later one of Ronan's servants came out and placed a plate of food in front of me. I grimaced at the sight, completely repulsed by the thought of eating. The couch seat shifted slightly as Nebula sat down beside me.

I could feel her staring at me, but I didn't care at the moment. "You will feel better if you eat," she said with mild annoyance.

"Why aren't you with Ronan?" I asked, turning my head to look at her.

She scowled and narrowed her eyes at me. "Why do you think?" she replied with accusation in her voice. _Oh, great, I have a babysitter now._ I reluctantly took a bite of my food and almost instantly felt my stomach relax.

"You're right… I feel better," I said after swallowing my food. Nebula rolled her eyes and stood up from the couch, stretching her limbs.

"There are a few errands we have to make today," she said as I heard her knuckles pop. "They shouldn't take long." I glanced up at her, looking curiously at her metal arm.

"What happened there?" I asked, pointing to the shiny limb. She immediately pursed her lips and glared at me, obviously not wanting to talk about it. "Sorry," I said guiltily before returning to my food.

Nebula disappeared up the stairs and I sat quietly on the couch, eating my food. As the minutes passed by I slowly returned to normal, but my mind was still occupied with angry, bitter thoughts. I still couldn't believe what Ronan did to me last night. After everything we've been through, I hoped we could at least have an enjoyable last night together. Well, most of it was _more_ than enjoyable. I smiled at the memory, and then immediately frowned when I remembered he was gone.

A frightening, loud explosion jostled me in my seat, instantly spiking my adrenaline. The walls trembled around me. The water in my glass rippled as another thud resonated throughout the house. I stood up, trying to find the cause of the sound, and saw Ronan's servants running from a door only a few yards from me. Soldiers followed behind them.

Hal-Dan's men.

I watched with horror as the soldiers pierced the servants with their spears, forcing the long blades all the way through their torsos. Horrible screams followed. The first noises I ever heard from them, would now haunt me forever. Their shrill, breathy shrieks hurt my ears, making me wince. Ribbons of thick, black blood coated the walls, defiling Ronan's home. I had never seen so much blood.

Another explosion from above. Smoke filled the room.

One of the soldiers was coming for me. I ran for the stairs, stumbling over pieces of broken stone. I could hear feminine shouting over the chaos. _Nebula._ What was she saying? Run? I _am_ running, but where do I go? The terrace? Yes, I will go to the terrace. She ran towards me, throwing something over my shoulder. There was painful grunt behind me. _She saved me._ Blasts of energy surrounded me, hitting the walls, sending debris everywhere. Nebula was fighting someone behind me. Soldiers were everywhere. I ran forward.

_The terrace, get to the terrace._

There was fighting out here as well. Dozens of bloody men lay on the ground, staining the once-beautiful stone a bright, red color. Ronan's guards fought valiantly against the Imperial forces, even though they were far outnumbered. My hands violently shook as I ran through the pandemonium, ducking and weaving as bullets and knives flew around me. Once again I heard Nebula shouting for me, ordering me to do something. _The ship. Go to the ship._ I sprinted towards the ship, jumping over several large bodies that littered the ground. I was close, I can make it.

There was a loud blast to my left, and then pain. Burning, debilitating pain. I was on the ground, I couldn't hear a thing. My ankle, what was wrong with my ankle? There was something poking through the Achilles tendon. A spike. No, don't touch it. Leave it. Get to the ship.

Nebula was already there, shouting at me, but I couldn't make out what she saying. Her lips. Read her lips. _Run?_ I am trying. I looked to my left, only a few of Ronan's guards remained, some of them were in the process of dying. Hal-Dan's men ran in our direction, pointing their guns at the ship. I ran harder, screaming from the pain in my ankle. I grabbed a gun off the ground, pointed it towards the soldiers and fired in a panic. I limped desperately towards Nebula and watched with dismay as the soldiers began firing at her, trying to destroy the ship. She glanced in my direction, and within seconds the ship was hovering above the ground. _No, don't leave me._ In the blink of an eye, she was gone.

There was nowhere for me to go but down. I jumped off the ledge, stumbling down the rough stone incline and headed for the valley below. I could hear shouting behind me, yelling for me to stop, but I would not. Balls of electricity flew past me in the air, barely missing me. I looked over my shoulder, there were dozens of them. I was too slow. My damn ankle would be the cause of my death.

Something hit me in my back, forcing me facedown into the ground. Dirt and rocks covered my face as I lay on the ground paralyzed, breathing frantically with fear. My entire body ached and I couldn't move a single inch. The gravel crunched beneath their feet as the soldiers slowly approached me. While the others stopped a few feet away from me, another continued walking until I was sure they were going to step on me.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this, Silvia."

_Mac-Varr?_

There was a blunt pain in the back of my head, instantly knocking me unconscious.

* * *

**Author's note: Hey guys! So sorry this update took so long! The past few weeks of my life have been hectic to say the least.**

**Thank you sooo much for the reviews. I love them and cherish them. They definitely keep me focused and motivate me to write faster! **

**If you haven't already noticed the note I added to the first chapter, I am going to be turning this into a cross over fic at some point. I hate to give away which story I'll be adding this to... but it involves another team of superheroes and a mischievous man who loves the color green ;) There will be three parts to the story and the POV will differ as the story becomes more complex.**

**I would love to hear what you think about this chapter, because it was a little different than the rest.**

**Any guesses about Silvia's power? ;)**


	15. Part I: Chapter 15

_**Chapter song: I'm In Here by Sia**_

* * *

**Nebula**

It had been nearly three days since she left Kree-Lar, and there was still no sign of Ronan. The ship she stole during her escape was unable to reach warp speed, so she lagged far behind. _Pathetic._ Soon, she would have to acquire a new ship because this one was badly damaged and running low on fuel. Hal-Dan, that weak-minded excuse of a leader, was to blame for this. She still couldn't believe he had the nerve to do such a thing. _Idiot. _Ronan will be furious when he hears of this. _He will probably kill me on sight. _

She considered abandoning Ronan and starting over, but her father's spies were everywhere. She wouldn't last a day on her own.

_Ha, my father – what a joke._ If Ronan doesn't kill her, her father surely will. Nothing terrified her more than imagining what he would do to her when he finds her.

Thanos. _That monstrous bastard. _He turned her into his own personal freak. Even in their infancy, Thanos showed no mercy on his so-called daughters, especially her. After several tortuous rounds of surgical modifications, she was transformed into this hideous, murderous cyborg. He stole her innocence and any chance of normalcy. She might have even been beautiful once, like the Terran girl.

_Ugh._ The Terran. _Silvia._ Even her name is annoying. Ronan loves her and it's blatantly obvious, not to mention pitiful. _Love is for the weak._ The way he stares at the little brat is nauseating to say the least. There was a time when she yearned for Ronan's approval; even sought after his affections, but he voiced his disinterest in her shortly after her arrival.

After a lifetime of rejection she handled the incident with enviable grace. It took much more than pointless infatuations to hurt her cold, metal heart. The Terran on the other hand is filled with childish sentiment, making her vulnerable and frail of mind. If her body isn't already destroyed, her soul surely is.

_I'm as good as dead._

* * *

**Silvia**

_**Three Days Earlier**_

I woke up with a gasp in a cold, pitch-black room. At first I thought I was dead because it was so eerily quiet and darker than I imagined possible, like some horrible purgatory. The pain in the back of my head told me I was very much alive. When I tried to move, I quickly found that my arms and legs were bound by some kind of rope. My feet were spread shoulder width apart on the ground and my arms were suspended in the air above my head, spread taut by some invisible bondage.

_Why? _

A horrible chill spread through my body as thoughts of imprisonment and torture filled my mind, making my heart race with fear. I struggled wildly against the bindings, kicking and pulling as hard as I could, but it never slackened a single inch. I continued pulling on the restraints even though I knew my efforts were futile, my wrists and ankles begged for release, but I got none. I knew that if I remained still, my anxiety would quickly send me into an uncontrollable panic.

_Keep moving. Don't think, just act._

Suddenly, there was a high-pitched metal clinking sound directly in front of me, instantly making me gasp with surprise. I jerked in my bindings and tried to calm my erratic breathing as the slow, steady ringing filled the room. I counted five separate clinks before I heard movement, which was immediately followed by an overwhelming light. I grimaced at the blinding light which seemed to fill the entire room and forced my eyes to remain open. The room I was in was completely white from floor to ceiling, no texture at all, only smooth flat surfaces. I looked at my bounded wrists and ankles and found thin, metal wiring wrapped around them, hooked to the ceiling and to the floor. There was a single metal door in the room only ten feet in front of me, slowly opening up, and in walked a familiar blue man.

_Hal-Dan. _

"What am – " I shouted.

"Silence," he interrupted, stopping only a few feet away. "We know Ronan is planning a coup to overthrow my rule. Reveal his plans to me and you will not suffer."

My lips parted in genuine shock at the news. "I – I didn't know he was – it's not – he didn't tell me anything," I said, shaking my head. Hal-Dan glared at me, the familiar mistrust prominent in his eyes.

"He is not here to protect you, Terran," he said, his voice stern with warning.

"I don't know anything about a coup, I swear. This is a mistake – he wouldn't – " I gasped.

"He has trained you well," he interjected in a clipped tone. "But I will discover the truth soon enough," he said, his voice growing quiet. A second later, another figured walked through the door. It was Mac-Varr, though at first I didn't recognize him without his usual cocky smile.

"Mac-Varr, you know I'm innocent. _Please_ tell him," I said in a trembling voice. He stared at me for a few seconds before his gaze drifted to Hal-Dan.

"It will be done," he said with a solemn expression. Hal-Dan nodded once and turned to walk out the room.

"Wait! I'm innocent! Please – " I shouted, stopping when the metal door closed.

I looked to my side and watched Mac-Varr slowly walk to the wall to my right, his fingers casually grazing the smooth surface, searching for something.

"You have to believe me, I don't know anything about this," I said, licking my lips nervously. He glanced at me before his finger pushed on the wall, suddenly transforming the wall into glass, revealing dozens of horrible looking devices.

"I usually don't have beautiful women in here," he said as one of the glass panels slid open. Knives.

"If you touch me, Ronan will– " I started shouting.

"Ronan is far gone, sweet Silvia," he murmured as he picked up a small knife.

He playfully twirled the blade in his hands as he began strolling towards me.

"Mac-Varr, please, I swear I'm not involved. He doesn't tell me anything! I'm just his prisoner," I said, my voice rising with hysteria. My breath hitched in my throat as he traced the knife along the collar of my shirt.

"Ronan does not take prisoners," he said in a soft voice, resting the knife in the hollow of my neck.

"But I _am_!" I shouted desperately.

"I'm sure you would like to believe that," he chimed, grinning with amusement. He slipped the blade underneath the straps of my shirt, threatening to tear the thin fabric.

"Ronan will – " I growled.

"As I said earlier, Ronan is far, far away. You _will_ die in here, Silvia, by my hands of course," he casually added, stepping closer as I began shaking my head. "Your death is inevitable, but whether it will be quick or slow, well... that is entirely up to you."

"But I've already told you, I don't know ANYTHING!" I screamed, struggling against the wire bindings.

Mac-Varr remained still, his smile growing by the second. "From what I have gathered, Ronan's little helper – _Nebula_, is it? – recruited dozens of followers for his cause. Who are they?" He asked, peering deeply into my eyes.

"I don't KNOW," I shouted angrily. "I'm just his prisoner!" With a swift jerk of his hand, the straps of my shirt were cut loose from my body. "STOP!"

His hands moved quickly, the sound of ripping fabric pierced my ears, making my blood run cold with fear. As I sobbed and begged for him to stop, the remaining last shreds of my dignity were removed from my body, leaving me completely exposed to him. Cold air hit every inch of my body, covering my skin with goosebumps and making me shiver, though I knew it was caused by fear rather than the temperature.

"That's better," he mused, stepping back to examine my body.

"Why are you doing this to me?" I sobbed, closing my eyes with shame.

"In here, there are no secrets," he said in a serious tone, his footsteps coming closer once again. I gasped as I felt the cold, sharp blade of his knife running between my breasts.

"What's this….," he said with faint curiosity. I hesitantly opened my teary eyes and looked down to see what he was talking about. Hickeys. The scattered red and purple bruises were impossible to miss on my pale skin.

"His _prisoner_, you say? _Tsk-Tsk_… honestly, Silvia," he muttered with mock disapproval, placing the tip of the knife next to my nipple.

"Please, I – I'm not – " I whispered.

"I have never remembered Ronan to be so… _passionate_," he said, his eyes lighting up as he gazed into my face.

"_Please."_

He traced the sharp point on the side of my breast, leaving a faint red line in its wake. "Give me the names of his followers," he ordered sternly.

"I don't know. I swear to God, I don't know, please!" I shouted desperately. Before I even finished speaking, I saw his hand lower to my right rib cage, and immediately I felt a sharp, burning pain. I groaned loudly as he ran the blade down my side, dragging it across my delicate skin with careless ease, making it wet with blood.

It was not a deep cut, but it was enough to leave me wincing with pain. I could feel blood slowly making its way down my skin, gathering on the crest of my hipbone. He brought the edge of the knife to his lips, and much to my horror, he licked the blood away clean, smiling wickedly while doing so.

"What _are_ you?" He asked, his eyes narrowing with curiosity.

"What do you mean?" I whimpered nervously, feeling sick to my stomach. He chucked softly before walking over to the wall, returning the knife to its original place, and glanced at me with a mischievous grin.

"Come now, Silvia. I've seen what you're capable of – much more than a regular Terran," he said as he picked up a thick black stick with prongs on the end.

"Ronan gave me his blood," I whispered, feeling ashamed for divulging our secret.

"Hmm, how interesting," he said, stopping in front of me. "But that would not explain what happened yesterday in the pit," he added in a low voice. "A half-Kree should not have been able to defeat Jul-Linn."

"Maybe I was lucky," I replied honestly. Almost immediately my body became rigid with shooting, horrible pain, making it impossible to get a single breath in as all my muscles tensed up, instantly starving my body of oxygen. All I could hear was my strangled breathing and a slight buzzing sound resonating throughout the room. It was over before I could really process what was happening to me.

I gasped greedily for air and writhed against the wires, trying desperately to get away from Mac-Varr and the strange stick he held in his hand.

"Don't fucking touch me!" I screamed pathetically as he taunted me with the stick.

"Your attitude displeases me greatly, Silvia," he calmly stated. "If you would only answer my questions…"

"But I AM answering your fucking questions!" I shouted with renewed anger. "I don't know anything about a coup or whatever the hell Nebula was doing!" My throat tightened up as I fought back the urge to cry. "I… I swear… _please_. He kidnapped me, he gave me his blood, we – we got along at times, I followed him around to parties and did what he told me to do, that's it. I'm just his damn prisoner," I said, lowering my head as tears threatened to spill from my eyes._ Stay strong. Don't cry for him._

I could see his black boots in my peripheral vision, standing less than a foot away from my body, far too close for my comfort.

"I believe you," he casually replied, making my head snap up in surprise. "I _believe…_ that you are ignorant about your powers. I'm certain Ronan intended on keeping that knowledge from you. He never did enjoy a woman capable of putting up a fight," he said with a knowing smile. "But fret not, my dear, sweet Silvia, we will discover the truth together, though you may not entirely enjoy it."

My body involuntarily trembled with fear as I thought about his intentions. "There is nothing special about me, please, just let me go," I said. I could barely hear myself over the pounding of my heart. He returned the black pronged stick to its place and slowly made his way back to me, now wearing thin, black leather gloves on both hands.

"Give me the names of Ronan's followers," he ordered, all amusement gone from his voice.

"I don't know them!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

**Slap. **_I can taste blood._

"Give me the names."

"I – I don't know. Ple-" I muttered.

**Slap. **_Was that a tooth? Please._

"Give me the names."

"Please, stop. I don't – " I begged.

**Punch.** CRACK. _A rib._

"Give me names, Silvia," he demanded over my screams.

"I – oh GOD – please – I **–**_**gasp**_**– **don't know!" I cried incoherently. "RONAN! HELP ME!"

"Yes, call for him. It will help _tremendously_," he muttered sarcastically. "You said he ordered you to do things… like _what?_ Tell me what you did for him," he said in a low voice.

I forced myself to stop crying so I could talk, but my body still shook uncontrollably. "I – I read some p-papers about Earth and _**–gasp–**_ the Inhumans," I whispered, wincing at the pain in my side.

"The _Inhumans_? What could Ronan possibly want with them?" He asked with blatant surprise. "What kind of information did you discover?"

I closed my eyes, trying hard to remember what I read, but it all seemed so distant now.

"Governments… on my planet they – they are conducting experiments on them. I – I don't remember the rest. It was mostly just talking about their p-powers. I don't know anything else, please, I swear, I…" I began crying and shaking my head with fear.

I saw him remove his glove, and raise his bare hand to my face. "Shhh," he cooed softly as he rested his hand on my cheek. I grimaced at the contact, disgusted by being touched by this man, and wished desperately for him to remove himself. The familiar tingling sensation I felt yesterday returned, only this time it was much stronger, making my body feel warm all over. I heard Mac-Varr grunt at the same time, and he immediately stepped away slightly hunched over.

He was breathing harder than usual and he was staring at me as if I had just given him great news.

"Do it again," he demanded, straightening himself up.

"Do what?" I asked, my face contorted with confusion.

"Your _power_," he said in a dangerous voice. He took a few steps closer. "Now."

"I don't know what you're talki-"

**Punch. **_My nose._

I moaned in pain and felt my head go dizzy as blood began pouring from my nose. Every time I opened my mouth, it would be filled with blood, coating my teeth with a metallic taste.

"GIVE ME THE TRUTH!" He shouted loudly, sending specks of spit across my face.

I felt blood dribble out of my mouth as I began to speak. "I – I am. I don't know what powe –"

**Punch. **_Another tooth._

"Mac-Varr, I – I can't," I moaned.

"I _will_ get answers from you, Silvia," he said with a sigh. He stared at me for a few seconds as if he were contemplating something, and then moved closer, once again placing his hand on my cheek.

The tingling sensation grew, spreading across my body, and Mac-Varr remained still, though his expression contorted into one of pain. After only ten seconds his knees began shaking and he fell down to the floor exhausted. My body, however, felt as if it had been injected with adrenaline, energizing me and making me feel more alive than ever.

Every ounce of pain I felt seemed to vanish within seconds and I couldn't help but sigh with relief. When I opened my eyes, Mac-Varr was staring at me with plain shock on his face as he looked my body up and down. Once again I pulled on my bindings to try to free myself, but it still wouldn't give, much to Mac-Varr's delight. His teeth flashed in a mischievous smile, realization coming across his face, and he stepped only inches away from me.

"I do believe I have discovered something marvelous. Your body appears to have healed, Silvia, which means…" he said, lowering his face into mine, "I can inflict tremendous pain, and not worry about you dying on me. Just think, this can go on _forever_," he said, his eyes filled with madness.

I felt my stomach drop at his words, my tongue became heavy, as if it were made of lead. My eyes widened with panic as he walked back over to the panel of weapons. "No! P-please," I begged as his hands hovered over an assortment of clubs and maces. "I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING! PLEASE!"

"We will see," he taunted, picking up a wide, metal club with spikes on the end.

"_RONAAAAAAN!"_

Pain.

So much pain.

By the time Mac-Varr was done, I had lost track of how many times he hit me, as well as how many bones he broke. Everywhere hurt, but I couldn't see a damn thing because my eyes were swollen shut.

Mac-Varr grabbed ahold of my arm, immediately grunting aloud with pain as my body began buzzing with energy. After nearly a minute of contact with him, I could open my eyes again, but I still felt unbearable pain across my body. There were bones sticking out of my calves, like shards of broken twigs, sharp and twisted. _Not normal_. _Don't look at it._

"Well, I believe that should be enough," he calmly stated. I looked up groggily, still weak from loss of blood. I could see blood splatters all across his too-perfect features and that sickeningly sweet smile.

"I'm….not healed," I wheezed.

"Yes, but you will not die. Perhaps tomorrow I will be more generous," he bitterly replied, already walking to the door.

"Wai– "

**Click. Click. Click. Click. Click. **

_Ronan, where are you? Please, save me._

* * *

**Ronan**

_**Present Day**_

The scent of burning flesh and Xandarian blood carried heavy in the air, as did the screams and cries of his victims. He no longer kept count of how many he destroyed with his Ultimate Weapon. With the infinity stone, ending life was almost as natural as breathing for him. One flick of his wrist, and dozens would perish instantly, their ashes dissolving into the wind. It was so effortless; he almost despised the act of killing.

_Almost._

He despised the Xandarians more than anything else, and nothing brought him greater pleasure than watching them die at his feet. Nearly a fortnight had passed since his departure, and thirty Xandarian outposts had been destroyed. In a few days, their disgusting species will be eradicated from existence, and his family will finally know vengeance. No other society will have to suffer by the hands of the Xandarians and their feeble army known as the Nova Corps, which was now reduced to tiny men who pissed themselves at the sight of him.

_An abomination. _

He yearned to return to Kree-Lar, where he knew Silvia was waiting for him, but there was still much work to be done. _Silvia_. As he stood on the bones of yet another Nova Corps soldier who attempted to fight him, he closed his eyes and imagined the scent of her hair, her silky, fine hair that seemed to flow across her shoulders like decadent water.

After another day of obliteration, he returned to his ship covered in blood and ash, though it did not bother him as it did some. He wore the thin coat of grime as a trophy, as proof of his victory over his mortal enemy, and he sneered at the Sakaaran soldiers who cowered in his path.

While he paced his chamber and sipped on the rich wine of his people, his eyes roamed across his bed, remembering the first time Silvia spread her legs for him, granting him access to her warm chamber. She willingly succumbed to him, practically throwing her innocence in his face for him to take, and of course, he could never refuse such an offer. _Even a Kree has his limits. _Though he often reflected on his intimate moments with her, he was surprised to find his thoughts drifting away from her tight, virgin warmth onto more _troubling_ details. Several times he caught himself imagining the sound of her voice, the feel of her small, soft hands on his body, and her untainted smile when she thought he was unaware…

_Stop this!_

But he could not.

Even in his dreams he could not escape her.

There was a time when he detested sleeping; he thought it to be a waste of time, only preventing him from accomplishing more important things. But now, he looked forward to closing his eyes at night because his innocent Silvia was there to greet him. However, his dreams had begun to trouble him only a few days after his departure, waking him in the middle of the night covered in cold sweat, muscles tense from an unknown threat. He wrote off his worries as only weakness, a sign that he was thinking too much for the Terran, but his instincts were almost never wrong, and so this troubled him greatly.

It seemed the further he drifted away from Kree-Lar, the more disturbing his dreams became, and soon, Silvia appeared to him in distorted images, only fragments of a body, broken and twisted. Tonight, he only glimpsed her from behind for a short second before she slipped away into the darkness, her moonlit hair the last thing he saw.

The following morning, he sat in his chair and peered out into the cold, vast exterior of space, quietly pondering which military tactics to use next against the Xandarians, though his mind drifted towards Silvia. After the seventh time her face unwillingly appeared in his head, interrupting his strategic planning and mental preparation, he growled loudly with rage and slammed his fists down onto the arms of his metal chair.

"_WHY?" _He roared. He loathed himself for allowing the girl to infiltrate his mind.

"Master?" His head immediately snapped to the guttural voice on his left.

_Korath._

He slowly straightened himself up and glared at his dark-skinned comrade, irritated at being caught unaware for the first time in years. With barely a nod of his head, he gave permission to the cyber-geneticist Pursuer to speak, though he truly wished he would leave him to his solitude.

"Nebula has returned, Master." Ronan immediately stood up from his chair at the news, genuinely surprised and intrigued by this recent development.

For a second, he found himself looking forward to seeing Silvia again, but his anticipation was quickly replaced with doubt and anger. Korath never mentioned the girl, as he surely would have if she were here.

"What of the Terran?" He asked calmly, trying to control his rage.

Korath bowed his head and lowered his gaze to the floor. "She came alone," he replied hesitantly.

"Bring her to me," he growled venomously.

He was standing at the end of the hall facing the expansive window when he heard her enter. Her footsteps slowly reached a halt when she came within twenty feet of him. He sneered at the puny distance she placed between the two of them, as if she thought it made her somehow safe. _It will do her no good._ Judging by her silence and her unwillingness to get any closer, he knew she had done something wrong, and he felt his blood boil furiously in response.

_Silvia._

"Where is she?" He asked, his tone dangerously quiet. His eyes scanned the darkness before him, contemplating what he would do if Silvia had perished. _No, she cannot be dead._ When Nebula remained silent he felt his eyes cloud over with rage.

"WHERE IS SHE?" He growled, now turning to face her. She cowered like the insect that she was at the sight of him, reducing her worth to less than the dirt on his boots, and he instinctively stepped closer, moving in for the kill.

"Captured by Hal-Dan's forces," she said as his fist found its way around her neck. "Mac-Varr has her. I saw him take her," she hissed as he lifted her off the ground. He was all too familiar with Mac-Varr's demented methods of interrogation.

"And you allowed it to happen," he seethed, throwing her across the room. He watched with disgust as her arm relocated itself, reminding him of how vulnerable Silvia truly was and how she abandoned her there. Silvia could not heal herself like this foul woman before him could. She was trapped in the hands of that cretin and it was all her fault.

_No, it was my fault._ I_ did this to her._

He walked towards the quaking woman and watched her black eyes dance back and forth between the exits, obviously planning some feeble attempt at escape, yet she remained still as he came closer.

"They were going to _kill_ me. Leaving her was the only option. There wouldn't have been any point in staying and having us _both_ killed. I've brought you this news, now what are you going to do about it?" She bravely announced as his fingers once again dug into her neck.

_I'm going to kill them all._

* * *

**Silvia**

_**Two Days Later**_

There were no days or nights.

Only white, blinding light, never ceasing, not even for a minute.

I had not slept for what felt like weeks, Mac-Varr did not allow it.

_Mac-Varr._

He said I was his sweet, little Terran.

His Silvia.

He hurt me, but it was because I deserved it. I was a traitor. I associated myself with Ronan, the man who left me here to rot. The man who betrayed me, who betrayed Hal-Dan, our wonderful Imperial Minister.

_Who would do such a thing?_

I begged Mac-Varr to kill me, to end my pitiful existence, because I did not deserve to live after everything I had done.

I was a traitorous whore, he said, and I agreed.

I stole information from the government athenaeum and used this information to aid the traitor, Ronan, in his plans for a mutiny. I also appeared in the presence of our minister without disclaiming my possession of a powerful weapon – _my body_ – yet another secret Ronan kept from me.

_You are _so _right Mac-Varr. I was a fool to ever love him._

_What was I thinking?_

He is so merciful, even when he tortures me he shows me kindness. At times, he even allows me to choose which finger or toe I will lose next.

He did not like hurting me. It brought him just as much pain, if not more.

The whips no longer worked on my body, he said, because I had grown stronger.

_I do not feel stronger._

The electrical prongs did not cause me enough pain to understand the meaning of truth, he said, so he had to try other methods.

Then he began removing my toes and fingers, and I begged and cried for him to stop, but he would not. It was for the best, he said, and eventually I believed him.

I no longer had a left foot. He severed the flesh right below my ankle, "freeing me of the heavy guilt I wore" he said.

A few days later, I no longer had my right hand. He claimed it was infested with Ronan's evil intents and foul energy.

_Yes, remove it. I do not want it._

I could no longer feel my limbs anyways due to them being suspended in the air for so long. Mac-Varr never healed me completely after his sessions, only enough to keep me from passing out or dying overnight. It was the only way he could truly trust me, he said.

_I want you to trust me._

_I am your Silvia._

Several times he caught me with my eyes closed, whispering the traitor's name in my sleep, and I was severely punished for it. He carved the words "Ronan's whore" into my back, written in the complex language of the Kree, so I would always be reminded of my greatest failure.

I would do anything for him if it meant avoiding further pain. Some days he would not hurt me at all, but it was only on the days when he filled himself inside me. I allowed him to use my body for his own satisfaction, because it made him feel good, and I liked Mac-Varr when he was happy. He said if I bring him pleasure, he will return the favor. He never did though. But I decided a torture-free day was more than perfectly fine, so I never complained.

Every day he injects me with a strange syringe filled with thick, blue liquid, always in the middle of my neck, immediately after healing me. I still don't understand how my body heals itself, or what the liquid does to me, but I do not ask questions because they get me nowhere.

Mac-Varr does not like questions.

_I wonder where he is today._

I shivered in the white room, covered in my dried urine and feces, waiting for him to return to me. Mac-Varr hosed me down every other day, which according to him is already too generous for a prisoner. _He is so nice to me. _A fever spread through my body, no doubt a result of some type of infection, and a cold, slick sweat coated my skin. My mind and body were growing weak from lack of food. I hadn't eaten since before I was imprisoned, but I no longer felt hungry or craved food. Mac-Varr said I could be ordered to death at any minute so there really was no point in feeding me.

I agreed with him of course.

Just as I felt myself begin to drift asleep, I heard the familiar clicking of the metal door, and I jumped wide awake in my bindings. I heard masculine shouting and painful groaning coming through the crack of the door.

Gun shots.

When the door was fully open, I believe I saw one man flying across the hallway as if he had been thrown by something.

_I hope Mac-Varr is OK._

My heart skipped a beat as I saw a tall, masked soldier walk through the door. They immediately stopped and stared at me, apparently taken aback by what they were seeing. After a few seconds, they reached up and removed the helmet, instantly revealing long, black hair.

_Jul-Linn._

"Hello, Terran."

* * *

**Author's Note: This chapter was a bit darker than usual, but it's vital for Silvia's transformation. I know many of you didn't want Sil to get hurt... but it's the Kree we're talking about - they aren't exactly merciful, and Mac-Varr is a true sociopath. You should expect a sudden change in the next few chapters... there are going to be a few twists and turns. Thank you again for the reviews and follows/favs. You guys are awesome. Please, let me know what you think. Sorry the update took so long. I'm more busy than usual, but I will continue writing so no worries people! This chapter is shorter than the others, but that's because I wanted to save the action for the next chapter.**

**Also, Silvia's powers are still developing. No one is exactly sure what she is capable of - not even Ronan. I hope you picked up on his comment... when he noticed Nebula heal herself, he said Silvia couldn't do that - well, so much for Ronan knowing everything.**

**I'm really excited about where this story is going, and if you could see inside my head, I think you would be too ;)**

**P.S. - This story is rated M for a _reason_. It is for ADULTS ONLY - one of the reasons because of VIOLENCE. I stated this in the very first chapter. If you cannot handle graphic descriptions of violence or adult situations... then do not read any further. I am not going to put warnings at the beginning of chapters. You don't get "warnings" in a rated R film, so don't expect them here.**


	16. Part I: Chapter 16

_**Chapter song: Runaway by Yeah Yeah Yeahs**_

* * *

I blinked heavily a few times, now certain that my fever was causing me to hallucinate, but she remained standing there directly in front of me.

"Have you come to kill me?" I muttered, not caring anymore whether I lived or died. At this point, I welcomed death.

"Now that I've seen you, I'm almost tempted to put you out of your misery," she said, looking me up and down with pity. "But no Terran, I've come to rescue you."

"_Rescue me?_ But you hate me," I said, blinking tiredly. She walked forward and began undoing the wire bindings around my wrists and ankles.

"I'm not doing this for _you_," she said angrily under her breath.

"Mac-Varr," I breathed happily. _I knew he loved me._

"_Mac-Varr?"_ She asked, narrowing her eyes at me. She shook her head and wrapped a thin, red cloak around my body. With her arm around my torso she began half-carrying me as we limped towards the door.

_I'm coming for you Mac-Varr._

There were several guards lying on the floor unconscious in the hallway, some were covered in dark patches of blood, unmistakably dead. As we made our way down the corridor, I became aware of distant gunfire and the familiar roaring vibration of ships. At one point, the walls around us shook due to an explosion from up above, filling the hall with a loud, metallic ringing. When we finally made it outside my jaw dropped open in disbelief as I looked around.

It looked like hell had been unleashed on the capitol. Dark smoke filled the air as Hal-Dan's building burned wildly with green fire, producing a splintering, deafening noise. Jul-Linn practically dragged me through the city, silently maneuvering our way through secret tunnels and alleys. As we rounded a corner, a few of Hal-Dan's men came running along at the same time, and I felt my heart soar with relief.

Until Jul-Linn shot them.

"What are you doing?" I screamed, struggling against her hold. "You _traitor_!"

"Quiet! They will hear us!" She hissed, tightening her grip around me. "We're almost there," she muttered under her breath.

"Almost _where_? I asked suspiciously. I could see her eyes frantically scanning the area around us for potential threats.

"Ronan's ship," she answered absently, unaware of the horrified look I was giving her.

"No," I whispered, causing her to immediately look down at me. After staring at me for a short moment she cursed under her breath and began dragging me along.

"NO! Let go of me! I'm not going back to that conspirator! He's a LIAR! He's a THIEF! He's –"

She bent down and roughly threw me over her shoulder before I could get another word in. She began running through the streets so quickly it made my head spin, forcing me to close my eyes. The armor on her shoulder dug into my abdomen, making it hard for me to breathe, and therefore impossible to speak. I tried kicking my legs but her arm tightly held my calves against her body. After nearly five minutes of this uncomfortable arrangement, she came to a stop at the end of another tunnel and gasped quietly. I could finally take a deep breath, and I wasted no time in voicing my displeasure.

"HELP!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. She immediately dropped me from her shoulder and spun around towards the opening of the tunnel as if she had heard something. I could hear the heavy footsteps of soldiers approaching and I couldn't help but smile.

Jul-Linn pulled out a small, black ball from one of her pockets and threw it towards the soldiers, instantly producing a thick fog. She dove into the fog without hesitation and began slaying the soldiers like they were sheep for a sacrifice. The poor men didn't even have time to shout for help. While she was busy murdering the innocent soldiers, I managed to limp away undetected into the darkness, hoping to find my savior.

"Mac-Varr!" I cried, falling down to my knees with exhaustion. Around the corner a new eruption of chaos began, and I quickly started crawling towards the noise, desperate to find him.

_He loves me. _

_He can help me._

_I need him._

As I got closer, one of Hal-Dan's soldiers flew past me like a cannonball, spiraling through the air until he collided into a nearby building. My knees and elbows were bleeding from the concrete ground, but I didn't care. A frightening madness seemed to take control of my mind, forcing me to drag my body along even as my limbs shook violently with exertion and fever. The severed flesh where my foot and hand once were, burned badly as they scraped along the ground, but I knew that if I stopped now I risked never seeing Mac-Varr again.

"Terran, stop!" I heard Jul-Linn's voice shout far behind me. I crawled even faster, now only a few feet from the corner of the building, where I knew he would be waiting for me just around the bend.

I eagerly peered around the corner and felt my eyes grow wide with shock at the sight of so much death. Hundreds of Sakaraan and Kree bodies littered the expansive concrete field before me, filling me with sadness and despair. _Mac-Varr._ There were still dozens of soldiers fighting, some were even stepping on top of their fallen comrades because there was nowhere else to stand. Only a few hundred feet away I could see Ronan's fleet of ships parked in the wide city square, which meant he was nearby.

_I must find Mac-Varr._

Only a few seconds later I felt Jul-Linn's grip around the back of my neck, pulling me up into a standing position.

"Let me go!" I screamed desperately, thrashing around in her grip. _Mac-Varr is close, I can feel him. _

"Listen to me," she shouted back. "Your mind is not your own. If you do not come wi–"

"It appears…" said a familiar voice right behind us. "She does not want to go with you."

_Mac-Varr._

Before I could laugh with joy, Jul-Linn released her grip on me, and I immediately lost my balance and fell to the ground.

I smiled up at him, unaware of the malicious tint in his eyes. "Mac-Varr I'm so – "

"Quiet," he said in a clipped tone. I immediately recoiled and watched with fear as Jul-Linn and Mac-Varr began circling each other.

"I never expected this from you," he said, glaring at Jul-Linn. My heart sank with dread as Jul-Linn pulled out two long daggers.

"Jul-Linn, don't _touch_ him!" I screamed with renewed rage. Mac-Varr grinned.

"What did you do to her," Jul-Linn hissed, glancing in my direction.

"Exactly what I did to you all those years ago," he said with a wicked smile, pulling out a double-ended spear. Jul-Linn looked as if she were going to be sick.

He took another step to the side, still smiling. "Ah yes, you remember it differently. That is due to the false memories I implanted in your brain. You remember _passion_ and _desire_. Endless nights filled with pleasurable mistakes. The truth is, it was meticulously planned. Hal-Dan has always been suspicious of Ronan, and you were there for the taking. It was disappointing to find your mind lacking of useful information, but it was still _quite_ fun. I do enjoy playing with Ronan's things, even if they aren't exactly willing," he said, smiling down at me. I smiled back.

_He is so nice to me._

"Hal-Dan and I hoped Ronan would retaliate after discovering our _affair_, giving us a reason to execute him for treason, but of course, Ronan was always so reserved. At least, until now," he said, directing his gaze towards me.

"You are sick," she growled furiously.

"No, I am _loyal_ – a characteristic which you are severely lacking," he said.

"I can recognize when a battle is already lost. I prefer to be on the side that wins," she said seriously.

"No, it is more than that," he said, pausing for a few seconds. "You _love_ him." Jul-Linn immediately tensed up. "And you believe returning the Terran to him will, what? Make him love you again – if he ever did at all?"

"Quiet," Jul-Linn seethed. She raised her arms in the air, pointing her daggers directly at Mac-Varr. "I will not allow you to poison my mind any longer. Surrender now or die."

"You and I both know the two are the same," he said with a soft smile.

"Look around you, Mac-Varr. You will not win this fight," she said shaking her head.

"I'll take my chances," he said, before lunging straight for her.

Metal clashed with metal, producing loud ringing sounds that echoed off the buildings around us. I lied on the blood-soaked concrete, completely helpless as Mac-Varr fought for his life. It was terrifying watching the two of them fight. I had never seen such an intense, vicious battle for survival. When I saw one of her blades slice his arm, it felt as if my head were going to split open in two. _No, don't hurt him! _When I saw his spear pierce the armor on her arm I nearly cried out for joy as Jul-Linn screamed in pain.

Two of the Kree's greatest warriors were fighting to the death and I was the only one here to witness such a nerve-wracking, historical moment. Where Mac-Varr had strength, Jul-Linn had speed, and for a while it seemed neither would gain the upper hand. It was only a few minutes later when I noticed Mac-Varr begin to tire and limp slightly on his right leg, which was now soaked with dark blue blood.

"Jul-Linn stop!" I yelled. I used my left hand to drag myself across the ground, bringing me closer to the pair of warriors. "You'll kill him!"

"That is my intention," she growled. I watched with horror as one of her daggers pierced the front of his armor.

"No," I gasped. Mac-Varr smiled before ripping the dagger out of his chest, revealing only the very tip was coated in blood. I sighed with relief.

Jul-Linn rolled forward as he returned the dagger with lethal speed. It missed her head by only a few centimeters and burrowed itself in the wall behind her. The two became locked in a deadly embrace on the ground, rolling and spinning, both struggling to remain on top. I watched with dread as Jul-Linn took control and proceeded to pull out another shiny dagger from her side, pointing it directly at Mac-Varr's face. My broken body protested any attempts to move faster, making it impossible for me to help him.

"Get off of him," I grunted, ignoring the pain in my limbs. _I must save him. _The point of the knife was threatening to push into his cheek. Mac-Varr swung his head to the side as Jul-Linn pushed down with all her weight, missing his head completely. His fist landed on her cheekbone, emitting a cracking sound on contact and she staggered to her feet in a daze. She was only five feet away from me.

Mac-Varr stood directly across from her and casually popped his neck, like someone would do when they first wake up. My skin ran cold as Jul-Linn picked up a fallen Sakaaran's gun from the ground and pointed it at him.

"No!"

With the little energy I had left, I propelled myself forward on my knees and grabbed ahold of Jul-Linn's exposed ankle.

Everything happened so fast.

Jul-Linn's screams of agony were drowned out by the humming I heard inside my head. It felt as if my skin was vibrating as rolls of energy coursed through my body, up my spine and into my limbs, bringing life back into me.

Her body fell limp to the ground in only five seconds, but for me, it felt like time itself had stopped.

There was more power inside of me than ever before, and I had no idea what to do with it. My fingertips appeared to be emitting a faint purple glow, the power threatening to spill out, silently urging me to use it.

I never knew the meaning of power until now.

* * *

**Ronan**

A single scream pierced through the air. A woman's scream. He knew it was not Silvia's for he was quite familiar with the sound of her voice. However, the feminine noise did not belong in a battle such as this. He immediately strode through the crowd of soldiers to investigate. Those who stood in his way were demolished with his Ultimate Weapon, their ashes carried away in the wind, leaving no trace of their whereabouts.

It did not take him long to find the origin of the noise.

Jul-Linn's corpse lied on the ground surrounded by common soldiers, as if she were a mere private. She did not belong here. A high-ranking soldier such as herself should not have fallen so easily. There were no markings on her body to indicate a fatal injury, so the cause of her death remained a mystery. Her eyes remained open and wide, reflecting the surprise and terrible pain she felt until the last second. Seeing her dead did not bring him the pleasure he always imagined it would, but he was not exactly troubled by it either. _One less enemy to stand in my way._

He looked up from her body and inspected his surroundings using the scanners in his armor. Thermal imaging revealed a male's footsteps leading into a tunnel nearby. When he looked closer, he noted an additional bare footstep alongside the soldier's. It was small and delicate, reflecting the frame of a petite woman. _Silvia. _There was a trail of single footprints, as well as several knee and hand prints following behind the larger, suggesting to him that her left leg was incapacitated. His gaze drifted back down to the ground, searching for any missing information, and he quickly located a broken double-ended spear. It had the familiar seal of Hal-Dan's first governor. _Mac-Varr._

He felt his pulse quicken with rage as he followed the path into the tunnel. Rarely did he ever find himself moving as quickly as he did now, the thought of Silvia in his arm's again pushed him forward, urging him to move with haste. For the first time in decades, he ran.

Seconds later he heard the staggered footsteps of Mac-Varr and Silvia, only a few hundred feet ahead of him. When he heard Silvia cry out in pain, he willed his feet to move faster, and soon they were within his line of vision. He snarled with fury at the sight of Mac-Varr dragging Silvia behind him on the ground, threatening to rip her shoulder out of socket. Ronan was lucky to have remained undetected for so long; however, when he noted the condition of Silvia's body, he could not help but growl with pure hatred, letting his presence be known.

She was mutilated.

_What has he done to you?_

Mac-Varr spun around at the sound of Ronan's rage, and he promptly released his grip on Silvia and pulled out a raygun from his belt. He fired at him without a second thought, but each shot was wasted. With his Ultimate Weapon, a raygun was no more threatening to him than a fly. His force field protected him against most attacks, save for a few powerful blasts of energy.

He noticed Silvia stir on the ground face down. When she slowly rolled over, her eyes widened with horrible fear at the sight of him, and she proceeded to crawl towards Mac-Varr, placing herself between the two of them. Ronan could not help but grimace at the sight of her protecting him. _What has he done?_ He did not recognize this woman who cowered on the ground before him. Her eyes no longer held the spark he so often admired. She was a shell of the woman she once was.

When his gaze drifted upwards, he caught Mac-Varr grinning at him. Always smiling, that one_. Enjoy it while you still can. _He heard Silvia whimper pathetically as he stepped closer, her remaining hand gripped tightly onto Mac-Varr's leg, pulling him into her.

_I will destroy him._

"She is truly remarkable, is she not?" Mac-Varr called out before him. Ronan did not want to hear his treacherous voice any longer. He raised his Ultimate Weapon and pointed it directly at him in order to force him away from Silvia. As soon as he rotated the hammer in his hands, he felt an invisible force throw him backwards, causing him to roughly land on his back.

He slowly stood up expecting to find Mac-Varr holding a gravity cannon, only to discover something far worse. It was not Mac-Varr who attacked him. It was Silvia. _No_. He strode towards the pair with more determination than ever before.

"Again," Mac-Varr said with a smile.

Silvia's left hand produced a faint purple glow before she raised it in the air and pointed it in his direction. Ronan raised his own weapon and braced himself as he saw her body tense up, emitting a powerful force of energy directly at him. His force field was able to hold back the majority of her power, but it still caused his feet to slide backwards on the ground, much to his annoyance. He growled and reached forward, grabbing ahold of Mac-Varr's neck before the leach could run away.

Again, he felt Silvia emit another wave of energy, but with a simple flick of his wrist, she was thrown several yards away. Her cry of pain caused him to frown with discomfort, but she needed to be out of the way. In the corner of his eye he could see her waving her hands in the air pathetically before screaming loudly with frustration. It became obvious to him she had depleted her store of energy, once again making her utterly powerless.

She dragged herself across the ground until she lied at his feet. "Stop it! Please, leave him alone!" Her hand began frantically searching his legs. It wasn't until she tried removing his armor that he realized she was attempting to find bare skin. It was useless however, for his armor was impenetrable. She pulled herself up and stood on one leg, reaching up towards his face, trying desperately to make contact with his skin. Her lack of height could not have been more apparent than at this moment. The tips of her fingertips barely graced the edge of his neck.

He glared at the man before him as he dropped his Ultimate Weapon to the ground. Finally, he would kill this man exactly how he intended to all those years ago. _With my hands_. The Ultimate Weapon could only be used by one wearing the Accuser's armor, unbeknownst to Silvia who was now pitifully trying to use it against him. As Ronan's hands gripped onto the sides of Mac-Varr's head, Silvia produced a long, drawn out wail. Her fist pounded on his leg as he began squeezing the cretin's skull. The joy he gained in hearing Mac-Varr's screams of pain was short lived, for only a few seconds later, Silvia began screaming as well. Never before had he heard her produce such a terrible sound. To anyone else listening, it might have sounded as if _she _were the one having her skull crushed.

The second Mac-Varr's skull split in two, Silvia began rolling around on the ground, clawing at her head in a maddened state. _She truly has lost her mind. _Blood pooled from Mac-Varr's mouth and eyes as Ronan finished him off, coating his hands in bloody brain tissue.

_Where is your smile now? _

He dropped his body to the ground and turned to face Silvia, who was now twitching and staring wide-eyed into the air above. Upon closer inspection, he could see she was covered in her own filth, although he already knew that just by smelling her. Her sickly pallor and sweat-stained hair indicated she was suffering from an infection, and if she didn't get help soon, he was certain she would die.

When he gathered her in his arms, he immediately noticed how light she felt compared to when he left. Soft curves were now replaced with sharp, prominent bones. The light in her hair was gone, as well as in her eyes. She was a broken woman. His eyes could not avoid the mutilated flesh of her hand and foot, though he willed himself to look away, he could not.

Upon exiting the tunnel, he lifted his Ultimate Weapon above their heads and propelled them into the air, flying towards his ship. Within seconds they were at the ramp of the Dark Aster, the ship that would be his home until the revolution ends. They barely made it halfway up the ramp when he noticed a newly formed wave of militia heading in their direction. If he did not leave now, his fleet of ships would be destroyed as well as his men.

"Nebula!" He shouted. Ten seconds later the blue woman appeared at his side. "Order the Sakaarans back to the ships. Retrieve our allies and depart immediately." She nodded her head and began shouting above the cacophony of battle.

Inside the ship, he quickly strode through the halls, heading straight for the infirmary where he knew medicine could be found. Her limp body lied on the metal surgical table as he searched the cabinet for the appropriate solution. Just as his hand clasped a small, glass vial he heard sudden movement behind him. Silvia was violently convulsing on the table as if she had become possessed by some strange demon. He nearly shattered the vial in his hands when her eyes rolled into the back of her head and froth gathered on her lips. _What is happening to her? _ This is clearly no ordinary infection.

At that moment he felt the ship begin to take off and he instantly returned to her side. His hands held her emaciated figure down on the table as they ascended into space, preventing her from falling off. Shortly after that her convulsions came to an end, allowing him to inject her with the infection antidote. His eyes eagerly scanned her body, waiting for any signal to indicate she was improving, but she remained unconscious. _Damn Terrans._ The red streaks in her arms and legs caused from blood poisoning slowly began diminishing by the second, as well as her pale complexion. The relief he felt at seeing her improve was both surprising and discomforting.

"Wake up," he said, grabbing ahold of her shoulders. No response. "Silvia," he said more forcefully. _You stubborn woman. _Several minutes later he heard the door slide open, but his eyes remained locked on the Terran. Nebula stood on the opposite side of the table, looking down at the woman with apparent guilt, and for some unknown reason this made Ronan terribly angry.

"Do not look at her," he growled, glaring at the cyborg woman. She shuttered and quietly looked away in shame.

His eyes rested once again on the woman who haunted his dreams. It had been too long since he heard her laugh, saw her smile, and felt her hands upon him. _No._ She no longer had _hands_, only one, and it was severely broken. The overwhelming guilt he felt caused him to scowl with disgust. How could he have been so deceived as to think she would be safe there?

He would atone for his mistake.

Never again will he doubt his instincts.

"Bring the surgeons."

* * *

**Silvia**

They say when you die you see a light at the end of a tunnel.

I never saw a light, or a tunnel. Only darkness.

It was a suffocating darkness that swallowed me whole and filled every essence of my being.

I felt nothing. I saw nothing. I was nothing.

Wait. No. There _is_ a light.

As I came closer to the fuzzy halo of white, I began to hear hushed voices above me. A cold, metallic surface pushed against my back. _Why can't I open my eyes?_

I could hear a feminine voice to my right. "…preparing to reroute nerves. Increase oxygen levels." A second later I felt the fresh, crisp flow of oxygen in my nose and mouth.

I'm in an operating room.

_I'm alive. _

No. No. No. NO! KILL ME! _**KILL ME!**_

"…heart rate is rising."

Images of Mac-Varr's crushed skull filled my mind, instantly making my brain feel as if it were on fire. Why does it hurt so bad? I literally can't live without him. Please, just kill me. Another flash of Mac-Varr's bleeding face danced before my eyes, causing agonizing, burning pain to erupt inside my head. Make it stop. Let me die.

"…gaining consciousness quickly. Restrain her and administer 15 mg of ENC-32." I could feel a cold liquid making its way up my arm. _No, stop! I don't want it!_

"What is happening to her?" An angry male growled. _Ronan._

_I hate you. _

I used every ounce of strength left in my body to open my eyelids, but even then I couldn't open them all the way. There were five people, both men and women, dressed in white uniforms hovering around me. I looked to my left and saw the tall blue monster standing in the corner of the room, pacing back and forth, looking furious as usual. His eyes widened when they settled on my face.

"You…" I wheezed, unable to speak from the breathing tube. Ronan took a step forward.

"I need 10 mg of X-16 and 20 mg of Dintol. Quickly," one of the doctors ordered.

As the chilling medicine entered my arms through the IVs, I noticed Ronan was now standing by my side, watching me intently. _As if he cares._ I wanted nothing more than to watch him suffer for what he did to Mac-Varr. It felt as if a part of me had died with him. Life itself seemed to hold no more importance for me, and I truly wanted to just vanish into thin air.

His large hand gripped onto my arm, but I couldn't pull away because the medicine was already taking effect. _Don't touch me, demon._ My eyelids grew heavier as the sedatives forced my body to relax, and eventually I was once again in the darkness.

His hand was the last thing I felt before slipping away.

* * *

**Ronan**

Throughout his years as the Kree's Supreme Accuser, he learned that patience was the key to victory in battles, but he never grew accustom to waiting. He found it extremely difficult to calm his mind when he knew his desire was within his grasp. Silvia's operation had taken nearly twelve hours, and every minute passed slower than the next.

The highly-qualified Inhuman doctors faced several challenges throughout her procedure; one of them being her body's rejection of all anesthetics and analgesics. She would fall unconscious for thirty minute increments at a time, but shortly after, she would awake, screaming with pain and rage, fighting to break free of her restraints. The amount of medicine she was administered should have killed any other Terran, but Silvia was different, and the hysteria within her had taken control of her being.

Despite all of the complications, they saved his Terran's life and transformed her mutilated body into a work of art; her mind, however, was on the verge of total collapse. His own sanity was lost for a short moment after he discovered the abuse Mac-Varr had inflicted upon her. He was standing in the hallway watching Silvia through the glass wall when the Inhuman doctor, Starla, revealed the troubling news:

"She is stable at the moment, but I would like to discuss with you some abnormal contusions we discovered upon her physical assessment." She stated in a quiet tone.

"Explain," he ordered, still watching Silvia.

He saw the doctor's abnormally bright, red hair fall as she lowered her head. "We have found both external and internal bruising within her genital area, as well as several lacerations upon her perineum. There is no doubt in my mind she has suffered severe sexual abuse." Ronan's fingernails dug into his palms until he felt the skin break.

_It is my fault._

"Her physical wounds will be healed within the next twenty-four hours, but the mental trauma will be difficult to treat. Her blood tested positive for a powerful mind-controlling drug we are unfamiliar with, but we suspect it will be out of her system within the next few days. Once her system is clean, she will regain control of her consciousness, and her mind will be flooded with traumatic memories. When that happens, she will need all the support she can get."

Ronan knew exactly what drug they spoke of – the binding serum, Senium-12. Mac-Varr was particularly fond of turning his victims into mindless bags of flesh. The serum binds two minds together, causing the victim to develop false devotion and infatuation for the supplier. When that connection is suddenly broken, such as in death, it can cause temporary insanity and excruciating pain.

Four days had passed since the surgery, but she remained as belligerent as a Dire Wraith.

She had been moved to his bedroom, where he knew she would be safe and within his reach if something were to go wrong. The sedatives he delivered every hour were only enough to keep her from breaking free of her restraints, but she still screamed and writhed on the bed. Her mind was still too far gone to retain new memories, so she often forgot where she was or what was happening to her, which only caused her to become even more hostile. Reasoning with her was not an option at this point, but Ronan could be a patient man.

After another tiresome day of gathering intelligence and recruiting soldiers for his cause, he slowly returned to his room, preparing himself for the barrage of insults Silvia would throw at him today. She was already screaming before he could even make it through the door.

At that moment he truly longed to be back in battle, where he belonged, where he knew he was of actual use. He would much rather face a Skrull army than the wrath of this she-devil.

He began removing his heavy armor as the words flew from her mouth. "I fucking hate you! I will kill you, you traitorous –"

" – blue monster?" He finished for her, making her yell with fury. "Yes, you _are_ that predictable," he muttered quietly as he remained turned away from her. He softly smiled at the sound of her groaning angrily on the bed, reminding him that his fiery Terran was still in there, waiting to break free and reunite with him once again.

He undressed until he was remaining in his under armor and walked over to her side of the bed, staring at the vials of sedatives on the nightstand. Just as he noticed one of the vials was significantly depleted, he felt a sharp prick in his upper thigh. A growl rumbled up his throat when he saw Silvia drop a syringe onto the bed before scrambling towards the door. _How did she break free of her restraints? _The humor he felt seconds earlier was nowhere to be found as he watched Silvia claw at the door, truly desperate to escape him. If she was in the right state of mind she would have known better than to attempt such a feeble act. It would take much more than a sedative to bring him down.

Before she could cause any damage to herself, he pulled out a Shocker from his weapons drawer and aimed the device at her neck. The small, metallic ball embedded into her skin and immediately forced her body to collapse on the ground, paralyzing her without any damage. Her eyes danced wildly back and forth, watching him as he came closer to her helpless form, mad with vengeance. It was a look he knew far too well. He truly did believe her when she said she wanted to kill him. Unfortunately for her, she would never be given the chance.

He watched her sleep until he felt certain she would not wake again, and only then did he close his eyes and allow himself to relax. It was only a few hours later when he was awakened by the shivering of her small body and the cold sweat which now soaked the bed sheets. Her eyes remained closed, yet she whimpered in her sleep and grimaced with pain. It was not long before she began screaming, and he immediately grabbed ahold of her shoulders and gently shook her, trying to break her free of her night terrors.

The doctor warned him she would likely be hysterical when she regained control of her mind. She would remember every painful moment all at once, causing her to experience tremendous mental suffering, and possibly physical pain as well. He administered one last sedative into her upper thigh as her eyes began fluttering open, wide with panic and fear. He did not like to see her suffer, but he was relieved to see the maddened blood-lust was no longer present in her eyes.

Within seconds he had her released from the bindings around her wrists and ankles, and looked down at her with hesitation, unsure of how to proceed. When her eyes settled on his face, recognition filled her features before tears began falling from the corners of her eyelids, and he gently wiped the tears away. It frustrated him greatly that he could not take her pain away.

"Ronan," she choked, causing his stomach to turn uncomfortably. The turmoil on her face stirred an unfamiliar protective nature inside of him, urging him to gather her in his arms.

And so, that is exactly what he did.

He swore to never doubt his instincts, and he would do precisely that.

* * *

**Silvia**

Days passed since I woke up from the horrible nightmare that was my life, but I still felt as if I were living in some twisted alternate reality. I was plagued with the memories of Mac-Varr mutilating and raping my body, scarring me in ways I would never forget. Then there was the distant memory of me killing Jul-Linn. Why did I do that? I murdered her, and Ronan didn't even know. _Maybe I should keep it that way._ Most of the time I lied in bed, quiet and unmoving as the sedatives calmed my nerves, preventing me from screaming.

Today is the first day I am medicine-free, and I hate it. The doctor with fire red hair, Starla, explained to me that sedatives were only a temporary solution. She suggested I _talk_ about my feelings, not retreat from them. I didn't want to talk. I didn't want to feel anything. All I wanted was to forget.

I haven't spoken to anyone since I woke up - not to the doctors, not to Nebula, not even to Ronan. At times I couldn't even look at Ronan because it made me feel so unbearably resentful. If he had just listened to me and taken me with him, none of this would have happened. I would still be _me._

I sat up in bed and stared blankly at the new additions on my body. When I first "woke up", I remember it felt as if my hand and foot were asleep, but after looking down I realized they were no longer there. Then the memories came. I remembered every searing, painful cut and burn.

My new robotic hand and foot were impressive and surprisingly beautiful. They were made of a metal that was smooth and mirror-like in its reflectiveness, and they moved as if they were my own flesh. The doctors explained the nerves in my arm and leg were connected to the robotics, allowing my brain to control the artificial extremities as if they were my own flesh and blood. It was like constantly having a numb hand and foot, but they functioned perfectly, if not better than my natural body. If I wanted to grab something, my hand was already doing it before I actually thought about it.

For a second I caught myself feeling grateful for Ronan, but I quickly remembered he was the one responsible for all of this. Still, I could not bring myself to yell or even glare at him. Even though I resented him, I enjoyed being around him. It was comforting knowing he was next to me as I slept, even if we remained untouching throughout the night. It is shocking he even allows me to sleep in the same bed with him. I guess he feels guilty.

I remember him holding me in his arms a few nights ago after Mac-Varr's serum wore off. He hugged me as I had hoped he would do before all of this happened. _Why did it take me almost dying for him to do that?_ I think he caught on to my resentment after the first night, because he hasn't tried holding me ever since. He didn't understand that all I wanted was a confession from him. I wanted him to tell me he cared. To tell me he was sorry for leaving me. To tell me he would never leave me again. Of course, I knew I was asking for too much - this is Ronan after all.

He left this morning after locking the door behind him, as he always did every day before going to work. No one trusted me by myself. Anything sharp and dangerous had been removed from his room. I discovered that after the second day. The water in the tub was cut off – I guess to prevent me from drowning myself. Ronan really did think of everything. I wasn't going to kill myself, but I suppose he wouldn't know that since we haven't spoken at all.

By the time Ronan returned that evening, I had paced his room at least a thousand times, if not more. To say I was anxious was an understatement. I hated being left alone in his room, especially when I didn't have my medicine. What were they thinking leaving me here without anything to calm my mind? As soon as I saw Ronan step through the door, I felt my skin grow hot with annoyance, and the words flew from my mouth before I could stop them.

"You're an asshole!" I shouted angrily at him, making him stop and stare at me apprehensively. I continued pacing in front of him, biting at my fingernails nervously, trying to calm myself down.

Ronan slowly walked towards me, watching me closely as I scampered back and forth, carefully avoiding my path. "You left me here! You left me in this fucking room all day by myself!" I said, staring at him while I paced in front of him. He sat down on the bed and remained silent as I continued shouting at him. His silence was making me even more furious.

"Do you enjoy locking me up like some deranged animal?" I shouted, stopping in front of him. His eyes were heavy as he stared at me in silence. "You left me here alone. You keep avoiding me – like a – like a fucking coward. You're a goddamn coward, Ronan," I said as tears of anger began pooling in my eyes. His nostrils flared at my words.

"You left me on that fucking planet! I was _tortured!_ I was _raped!_ Look at me!" I cried as he looked away, glaring at the floor. "Look what they _did_ to me! Why do you keep abandoning me?" I screamed hysterically. "What is so terrible about me? Why am I always left alone?" I cried, falling down to the ground.

My chest tightened painfully as I began having a panic attack, making me hyperventilate and wail uncontrollably at Ronan's feet. I felt his hands grip onto my shoulders, pulling me up as I continued crying "why?" over and over again. Before I realized what was happening, he was cradling me in his arms as he sat on the edge of the bed, holding me tenderly as I released every sad emotion left in my body. When the panic attack passed, I continued sobbing in his arms, holding onto him desperately in an effort to keep him from running away from me again.

"I should never have left you there," he said in a somber tone when I calmed down. "It is a decision I will forever regret." He added quietly. I couldn't help but scoff at his comment.

"Look at me, Ronan. I'm a freak," I sniffled.

"You are beautiful," he replied in a serious tone. I remained quiet in his arms, closing my eyes as I fought back another urge to cry. "Do not ever doubt that." He said more forcefully. I felt his chest rise as he took a long, deep breath, preparing himself to say something else.

"I cannot take away your suffering; but, I can pledge to protect you from this day forth. I will do what I must to keep you safe."

"So, what? You actually care about me?" I said with my eyes still closed.

"After all that has happened, must you even ask such a question?" He said in his soft, deep voice. I hesitantly opened my swollen, red eyes and looked up at him. "I feared you were dead, Silvia."

"I thought you weren't afraid of anything," I whispered. His eyes, which now shimmered in the soft, blue light, slowly roamed across my face, full of contemplation and sorrow.

"I was mistaken," he said after a moment of silence.

* * *

**Author's Note: I'm so sorry to keep you guys waiting! I have been working like crazy and it's made me a very tired, lazy person. I wrote every day - even if it was just one or two sentences. I wanted this chapter to be longer, but I have already kept you guys waiting for so long.. I felt bad! **

**So, I really enjoyed writing this chapter because there was a big development between Silvia and Ronan. I would love to hear what you think about that. Silvia's got some cool new equipment as well. There's going to be a big change within the next chapter or two... things will get very interesting. I'm sure a lot of you are happy to see Mac-Varr dead - I know I am! :) Of course, there's still Hal-Dan and a whole bunch of other people Ronan still has to deal with. Times are definitely going to be tough.**

**Thanks again for the follows/reviews! I love reading your reviews... they make me so happy :) You guys are awesome and I'm so grateful you take the time to read my story. Again, I'm so sorry to have kept you guys waiting for so long! Hopefully the next chapter will not take over a month to post!**


	17. Part II: Chapter 1

_**Chapter song: The Ship Song by Lissie**_

* * *

I stared at him in awe, silently wondering how the hell I managed to earn his affections, before softly placing my hand on his heart.

"Ronan," I whispered as I leaned into his chest.

We didn't speak anymore after his unexpected confession, but there really weren't any more words left to say, and the two of us were content with silence.

It's surprising I'm even capable of feeling anything other than pain and sadness after what I've endured, but here I am, grinning ear to ear with glee. Of course, I remained stoic as he spoke the words I always wished to hear, and waited until he was asleep before I began smiling like a giddy, little school girl. In a way, it felt like I had been liberated from the dark. I no longer had to doubt my significance or wonder what role I played in his weird, alien life.

For a few hours, everything was perfect.

My dreams always got the best of me, and there was no way for me to turn them off. I was plagued with horrible nightmares that felt real in every sense, forcing me to relive excruciating moments, and I'm unable to escape Mac-Varr's hands once again. Fortunately, I was able to wake up and save myself from the worst of his torture. As I sat up in bed, I noticed the sheets underneath me were cold from the sweat that now covered my body. I brushed aside the wet hair that was sticking to my face and looked over at Ronan, who was thankfully asleep and unaware of my midnight crisis.

I quietly made my way to the bathroom and closed the door behind me, trying carefully not to wake Ronan up from the light. I opened the sleek, glass door to the shower and stepped inside the large, tiled spa which reminded me of home. The water felt refreshing against my sticky, damp skin, so I quickly closed my eyes and got lost in the heat. I must have been standing there for a while because when I opened my eyes, the shower and bathroom were heavy with steam. There was an assortment of bottles on the corner shelf next to me, which I assumed were filled with aromatic soaps and oils, and I eagerly began inspecting them. As I grasped a small, purple bottle and held it up to my nose, I felt a hand on my shoulder, instantly making my blood run cold.

Hands.

_His_ hands.

_No! You're dead._

The familiar vibrations resonated throughout my body, bubbling up inside of me until I felt it suddenly explode, sending a powerful blast of energy around me. Before I even had time to turn around, I heard the shower door shatter as something heavy was forced through it. My heart was pounding wildly with fear as I braced myself for another session of torture and humiliation by Mac-Varr's hands. I hesitantly turned around and looked outside of the shower, gasping as I realized what I had done.

It was Ronan.

My hand instantly flew to my mouth as I looked on in shock, horrified at the sight of Ronan lying unconscious on the floor. He was surrounded by broken shards of glass, some of which had broken his skin, covering his body in dark blue cuts. I quickly ran over to him and kneeled down next to his naked body.

"Please be OK," I whimpered. My hands reached out to touch him, but I had to stop myself for fear of what else I might do to him. Just as I started to lean in closer, I noticed his right hand twitch next to me, making me slightly jump with surprise, and I immediately placed my lips next to his ear.

"I'm here, Ronan. Wake up," I said as I remained kneeling on the ground.

The second I finished speaking, Ronan's eyes shot open and immediately landed on my face, making my heart chill over with fear. I barely had time to register the rage in his eyes before his hand shot out and grabbed me by the neck. He remained lying on the floor as he held my body above his with one arm, slowly squeezing the life out of me.

"Ronan, it's me," I choked, grabbing onto his hand. His eyes flickered before recognition dawned on his face and he instantaneously released me from his painful grip. I fell backwards coughing and watched him sit up, staring confusedly at the glass on the floor.

"What has happened?" He asked with uncertainty, watching me as I regained my breath.

"I don't know, Ronan. One minute I'm just standing here and then my hands start glowing fucking purple! What's wrong with me?" I cried, holding my hands out in front of me. He stared at me in silence, glancing back and forth between my hands and face with unease.

"We must speak," he said quietly before standing up. I looked up at him from the floor, frowning at the multiple cuts on his body, and hesitantly stood up to join him. I grabbed a towel from the counter and wrapped the soft fabric around my body before following him into the bedroom, where he pointed at the bed for me to sit down. My pulse began beating rapidly in my chest as I contemplated what he was about to tell me. _What did he know?_

"You're bleeding," I whispered as my eyes trailed his body.

"It is nothing," he answered quietly as he continued staring at me.

After a moment of awkward silence, I raised my eyebrows at him impatiently. "Well?" I said with a sigh.

He took a deep breath and gave me a serious stare. "The night I transferred my blood into your body, a fraction of the stone's powers transferred into you as well, granting you an unnatural ability," he said as he slowly paced in front of me. "I thought your ability would remain dormant, but recent events appear to have triggered the stone's energy inside of you. I have instructed the scientists aboard to develop a device which may limit your power and allow you to live without consequence."

"Live without consequence?" I asked nervously. He stopped pacing so he could face me straight on.

"Your emotions are connected to your ability, and as long as you remain emotionally unstable, your ability remains unstable as well. You have the potential to destroy yourself as well as everyone around you. We do not know the extent of your powers, and it is best we do not tamper with this any longer," he said somberly, sitting down next to me.

"What exactly _is_ my ability?" I asked, suddenly feeling lightheaded.

"You can drain the life force from any living being," he answered quietly, glancing at me sideways.

"I can… kill you?" I muttered with disbelief.

"No, it is quite difficult to kill me," he said, raising his head with pride.

"But I can hurt you," I said in a sad voice. The thought of causing him any more harm had me instantly frowning.

"Yes, it would appear so," he replied unhappily. I looked over and saw him glaring at the floor, obviously upset about what just happened.

"How long have you known?" I asked quietly.

His voice was low and filled with hesitation as he spoke. "Since the night in the bath when…," he said, coming to a pause.

"When I took the pill and almost drowned?" I asked, glancing up at him. His facial expression was far too morose for the situation at hand. Why did he look so upset?

_Oh, __**that **__night. _

"You mean when _you_ almost drowned me," I said with a hint of sarcasm. Ronan remained sitting quietly next to me as I scoffed at our fucked up relationship. _It's in the past. Forgive and move on._

"How did you know?" I asked, trying to hide my irritation.

He remained facing forward as he spoke in a serious tone. "When you grabbed my hand I felt the stone's power inside of you, attempting to consume my body's energy. I decided not to share this information with you – "

"Because you didn't want me using it against you," I answered for him, already knowing the truth. Ronan didn't like threats and if he kept me naïve about my ability, then I would remain powerless against him.

He straightened himself up and looked over at me, his eyes heavy with thought. "Yes," he said with a solemn expression.

"If you had told me about it earlier, I could have trained myself and been able to use it against Mac – " I said, choking on the name. I took a deep breath and steadied my breathing as I felt myself getting sucked into another episode of flashbacks. "I could have saved myself," I said under my breath.

"Perhaps," he said thoughtfully. "But there is no certainty your power can be tamed."

I turned my body to face him as I thought of an idea. "Maybe we could try training and I'd be able to use it for protec– "

"No," he interrupted. "It is too dangerous," he said, his voice growing rough.

"But – " I whined.

"Silvia," he growled, standing up. "You remain half-Terran, yet your power grows stronger with every sunrise. Tampering with the stone's energy may result in your death, and I will not allow you to die for some _childish_ fantasy," he grumbled.

"It's not a childish fantasy, Ronan! There are people on my planet with powers too and from what I've read, they've managed theirs pretty well. Why can't we at least try?" I said with growing agitation.

"Unlike those you speak of you were not born with this power. It was given to you by an infinity stone, one of the six most powerful objects in the universe. Terrans cannot touch an infinity stone without perishing instantly, yet you live with its powers inside of you. You should be grateful you are still alive," he said in a stern voice. His eyes bore into mine with such intensity I had to look away out of sheer embarrassment. I had forgotten how intimidating his stare could be.

"Fine," I mumbled unhappily, causing Ronan to take a deep breath.

"Trust my judgement on this," he said in a low voice.

I stood up and walked over to my side of the bed, shivering slightly from the wet towel which remained wrapped around my body, and glanced up to catch him watching me with a curious look on his face. I proceeded to release my grip on the towel and quickly slid into the bed, under the silky, heavy sheets, where I knew warmth awaited me.

As I closed my eyes, I felt the bed dip as Ronan joined me under the sheets, silently pulling me into him so my head rested on his chest. I rolled my eyes and smiled at his attempt to cuddle with me, because I knew this was his way of easing the tension. Skin-to-skin contact made it nearly impossible for me to remain upset with him, and I had a feeling he knew this too. The gentle rocking of his deep breaths and his slow, steady heartbeat had me falling asleep in a matter of minutes.

Once again I found myself trapped in the white, blinding dungeon where my tormentor awaited me, smiling as red, gleaming wetness dripped down his face. His bright teeth shone vividly among all the blood.

"Silvia."

_No! Stop! Get away from me!_

"Silvia!"

I sat up gasping with wide eyes as Ronan roughly shook me awake. My hands gripped desperately onto his arms, enough to the point where I was sure it was uncomfortable, if not painful for him. Once I realized I was safe, I let go of him and closed my eyes with frustration, willing my body to stop trembling.

"When is it going to stop, Ronan?" I whispered shakily.

"I do not know," he said in a quiet voice, making me chuckle sadly to myself.

"You're so honest," I said, softly shaking my head.

"Would you have me any other way?" He asked seriously, furrowing his brow. I immediately sighed at his question and stared into his eyes, surprised to find concern lurking behind the purple irises.

"No, of course not," I said with a tired smile. Ronan's facial expression remained tense as he continued to stare at me. We continued sitting there in silence for a while until the lights in the bedroom slowly began growing brighter, mimicking the sunrise back on Kree-Lar, signaling it was time to wake up.

"I'm so tired," I mumbled, rubbing my eyes. Ronan swiftly got out of bed and began dressing himself in his usual armor before walking to the bathroom. When he came out his face was covered in the familiar, frightening black mask that made him look like a demon.

I frowned as I watched him finish dressing. "Why do you paint your face like that?" I asked, unable to hide my disappointment. "You look… scary."

"Fear inspires obedience," he said without looking at me. After a few seconds he turned to face me. "Do I frighten you?" He asked with a hint of amusement.

"No," I answered honestly. Ronan walked towards me with a slight smirk on his face and stopped right next to me, looking down at me with narrowed eyes. His hand pulled at the bedsheets I had tucked underneath my armpits, exposing my bare breasts to the cold air, causing my nipples to harden almost instantly.

I heard a soft, deep growl before his hand reached down to squeeze my left breast with a gentle, but firm grip. His lips were pressed against mine before I even had time to close my eyes, and I giggled at his eagerness. The paint on his face tasted metallic and had a gritty texture like dirt, but I didn't care. All I could think about was how good his mouth felt on me. As his mouth trailed downwards, I could see black marks all across my body where he kissed me. I felt my breath hitch in my throat at the sight.

_They're not bruises. I'm fine._

"What?" I heard Ronan ask from between my legs.

_Shit, I was thinking out loud. _

I licked my lips nervously as I felt my mouth run dry. "Oh, nothing. Come back up here," I whispered, attempting to sound playful. Ronan's eyes slanted with suspicion as he stared at me, remaining still as he looked into my eyes, searching for something. I shifted uncomfortably as he pinned me with his gaze and fidgeted with the bedsheets impatiently.

"Come on," I whined, and only then did his mouth relax. I smiled with pleasure as his mouth once again found my neck and began sucking on the perfect spot, making my center tighten with expectation.

His heavy, lustful breathing as he continued kissing me turned me on even more, and I yearned to feel his skin against mine once again. As his hands gripped my wrists and held them down against the bed, I felt something inside of my throat tighten up. _Let go of me_, I thought as my body started to tremble. When I tried to tell him to stop, all that came out of my mouth was a whimper, which could easily be interpreted as a sound of pleasure. It wasn't until I started crying that he realized something was wrong with me. He immediately stopped and pulled himself up so he was hovering directly over my body. His eyes were filled with uncertainty and worry as he held my face with his warm, calloused hands.

"I just want it to stop," I cried, pulling the bedsheets over my face. Ronan immediately pulled the fabric away so I couldn't hide from him, much to my humiliation.

"His hands," I sobbed, pulling my knees into my chest. "I can feel him everywhere."

Ronan growled with fury and stood up from the bed in haste. "You witnessed his demise, Silvia. You are no longer in danger," he said in a low voice.

"I'll never be safe," I whispered hysterically. "Mac-Varr told me if I ever escaped it wouldn't matter which planet I ran to, Hal-Dan's men would find me and do horrible things to me. I can't go back there, Ronan. That white room…," I said, rocking back and forth.

"It was an empty threat," he growled.

"N-No… his threats were never empty," I whimpered. "I won't be safe until they're all dead," I said, choking on the last word.

"Get dressed," he said in a dangerously, quiet voice. I looked up at him and shuddered at the coldness I saw behind his eyes, knowing I had just awakened the monster in him.

"Why?" I asked timidly, already standing up. He simply glanced at me before walking out the door.

Our eyes only made contact for a few seconds, but that short moment was enough to have my knees shaking and my stomach twisting into knots.

For the first time in a while, I was scared of Ronan.

* * *

**Ronan**

There were no adequate words to describe the hatred he held for Mac-Varr. His Terran was far more damaged than he predicted, and there was nothing he nor the doctors could do for her. If only he had restrained himself, then Mac-Varr would still be alive, and Silvia would have the opportunity to inflict vengeance upon him. That is, _if_ she is even capable of causing harm unto others. No. She is a weak, irrational woman. She does not have the stomach or mentality for such matters. _That will change soon enough._

Her irrationality tested his patience far beyond anything else, and it angered him greatly to hear her question her safety, especially when he only just pledged to protect her. He will stop at nothing to keep her safe, even if that means protecting her from her own aberrant mind and putting an end to these hysterical mental lapses. Perhaps only then will she be capable of sleeping through the night without screaming, or feel his hands upon her without trembling.

In truth he preferred her as she is, his innocent Terran. She is the last glimmering light in his existence, but soon her light will be snuffed, as most things in his life are stained in some way. She must be strong to survive in his world, and so she will be. He will show her what it means to be brave. To be strong. To be _ruthless._ With him by her side, she will rise in the darkness and become anew. Coated in the blood of her enemies, she will taste the bitter warmth of victory and power upon her lips, and long for more.

She will resist of course, as she always does when compliance is asked of her, but in the end she will unwillingly comply. Ronan did not take no for an answer, and he would not allow Silvia to use her traumatizing experience as an excuse to transform into a quivering, mindless girl.

_Yes, this must be done._

He stood in front of his fallen enemies and frowned as they tried to escape their fate. The chairs in which they were bound were in no way going to relent or break under their struggles, so their cowardice efforts were futile. He found it truly amusing to watch the façades of courage they maintained for so long crumble before his feet, revealing the spineless varmints he always knew them to be. It would be a lie to say he had never imagined this day before. The remaining members of Hal-Dan's exclusive, scheming circle were soon to be eradicated, and his Terran would once and for all be safe.

Ben-Nett. Terris. Sen-Darr. Vin-Tav. Mil-Tann. Saldar. Jon-Den.

These so called generals and governors did not deserve the titles bestowed upon them. Unlike Ronan who worked tirelessly to bring glory to the Kree Empire, these men have brought nothing but shame and treachery to their government. In the past, he found himself longing to kill them simply for being allowed to exist, and now his wish would finally come to life.

Ten minutes later Nebula entered the chamber with Silvia at her side, who was already shaking with unease. A short gasp graced her plump, parted lips when she spotted the group of bound men, and as he predicted she immediately turned to flee the room. He watched with contained amusement as she scurried towards the door, which was already in the process of closing. She missed her opportunity to escape by mere seconds, and thus was forced to remain inside this chamber with him until he allowed her to leave.

Ronan nodded at Nebula to signal it was time for the next step, and with impressive ease his subordinate placed upon Silvia's hands the devices his scientists constructed for her. By the time Nebula was finished, Silvia was only just realizing what was happening, and missed yet another opportunity to escape. She grimaced as she tried so desperately to remove the thin, black gloves from her hands, but relented when her efforts only resulted in pain. He assumed she realized they were designed to never come off. She looked at Ronan with a hurt expression of shock and betrayal, causing him to take a step towards her.

"Silvia," he said as he began walking towards her.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" She asked angrily, taking a step backwards. Ronan grimaced as she shook her head at him in an annoyingly condescending manner, but continued forward nonetheless. He reached out his hand to touch her in order to calm her down, but in her heated state of mind she pulled away from him and dared to push his hand away.

He could not suppress the piqued frown on his face as he spoke. "You will be grateful one day," he said in a quiet tone before returning to his prisoners.

As he walked away, he could hear the two woman struggling behind him as Silvia was forced to follow in his footsteps. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply through his nose as he always did when he was annoyed, and looked over at his Terran who was now beginning to cry.

"What is this? Why am I here?" She asked as she eyed the men in front of her.

"You are to witness their executions," he answered calmly.

"No! I don't want to see this," she whimpered before attempting to run away. Nebula was more than capable of restraining her now that her powers were inhibited.

"These are the men who planned your abduction. You _will_ watch, Silvia," he said, glaring as she shook her head in defiance. "And when it is over, you will no longer fear for your safety."

"I believe you, OK? I'm safe. Just let me leave," she said as the tears grew ever more present in her eyes.

"I will not," he said with growing irritation. _Why must you always be difficult?_

In that moment he was grateful he ordered the men gagged, for he was certain they would be appealing to Silvia's womanly emotions, only making it harder for her to witness their demise. Their muffled cries were enough for her sensitive Terran ears. In a final act of defiance, Silvia closed her eyes as a child would do when frightened, and this caused Ronan's body to tense with frustration.

"_Silvia_," he said, threatening her with his tone alone. After a few seconds, she reluctantly opened her eyes and settled them upon his face with a look of pure resentment. The outrage in her eyes was almost enough to make him feel guilty, but he knew what was best for her.

Seeing that she was not going to argue with him any longer, he turned to face the men and stared into their eyes. He felt the familiar detachment he always experienced before any execution, and tightened his grip on his Ultimate Weapon, enjoying the weight of it in his hands.

"The time for judgement has come," he said, addressing each man by his name in true Accuser fashion. "You stand accused of high crimes against the Kree Empire. Murder. Treason. _Kidnapping_," he said, growling with rage. "I declare you all _enemies_ of our great nation, and thus, sentence you to _die_!" He snarled as he raised his hammer above his head and brought it down across Sen-Darr's skull.

Dark, blue blood splattered in all directions as the heavy hammer crushed Sen-Darr's head, leaving nothing but pulpy tissue in its wake. At the same moment, Silvia screamed a few feet away, causing him to scowl with annoyance at the high-pitched sound. When he looked over at her it became suddenly clear as to why she was so displeased. A trail of thick, fresh blood coated her face, running down her milky skin in ribbons of blue and onto the floor below. Her disgust could not have been more apparent for she immediately began rubbing her face in a rather erratic fashion, staining her perfectly clear skin a light blue color. In any other circumstance he would have laughed at such weakness.

Before she could protest, he brought the hammer down on the next man. And the next, and the next, until there were no men left. He watched with satisfaction as the blood ran down each chair and filled the intricate cracks of the Kree emblem he so often admired, before spilling into the hidden chamber below.

In the corner of his eye he saw a fallen Silvia down on her knees, staring at him with a blank look on her face as her lips moved. He stepped closer in an effort to hear what she was saying, but her mumbling words remained incoherent.

"What are you saying?" He asked irritably, stopping in front of her. She looked truly mad sitting there on the floor covered in blood, speaking to herself. _Terrans are strange creatures indeed._

"I killed her," she said, her voice barely a whisper. Ronan looked at Nebula who was now glaring down at Silvia with a perplexed expression, and motioned for her to leave the room. The second the doors closed, he kneeled down next to her so the two were at eye level, allowing him to see fully into her eyes.

Every inch of her body seemed to shudder as he peered into her wide, round eyes. "Who did you kill?" He asked quietly. The fear and guilt in her eyes troubled him greatly.

Her breath shook as she inhaled through her mouth. "Jul-Linn," she said with a pained expression. Ronan felt his own eyes narrow at the revelation. _Yes, of course. That explains the unusual circumstances of her death._

"Death is inevitable in battle. Do not burden your mind with her insignificant life. It is done," he said, frowning as she began crying once again. It took every ounce of his control to remain quiet as the tears gathered in her violet eyes.

"She's not insignificant!" She shouted unexpectedly, causing Ronan to glare at her. Her gaze lowered to the ground as her cheeks grew red with apparent shame.

"She saved me," she said, still looking down at the bloodied floor.

"I do not understand," he snapped, irritated by his own confusion. Silvia jumped at the sound of his voice, seemingly frightened by his very presence. _Why does she fear me?_ With anyone else, he would relish in the sight of them cowering before him, but with Silvia it only brought him disappointment.

"She rescued me from my cell… she was bringing me to you," she said sadly. "I killed her because she was going to kill Mac-Varr." Ronan exhaled deeply and closed his eyes, finally understanding why it is she experienced so much guilt over that treacherous woman. Whore or not, she saved his Terran, and he would be eternally grateful for the selfless deed.

"Your mind was under the control of a powerful serum. It is not your fault, Silvia, and I am certain Jul-Linn knew this as well. Do not bare guilt for such uncontrollable circumstances," he said, wishing her to cease her trembling.

"There's something else…" she said quietly, looking up at him hesitantly. His fingers twitched against his weapon impatiently, yet he remained silent and calmly waited for her to continue.

"I found out something that… that might upset you," she muttered nervously.

"Get to the point, Silvia" he said, wanting nothing more than to end this unnecessary conversation.

Silvia took a deep breath and stared at him with more focus than ever before. The intensity in her watered eyes made it clear to him that she was preparing for his reaction, though he knew she would receive none. Silvia was dramatic to say the least, and he was positive her next revelation would be far from shocking.

"Jul-Linn was never unfaithful to you, at least not intentionally… Mac-Varr used the serum on her too to get information about you. It was Hal-Dan's plan all along. She never stopped loving you, Ronan. I'm so sorry," she said in a single breath. By the time she finished speaking she appeared exhausted.

Before he could stop himself he was standing up and turning away from Silvia so she could not witness his dismay. His judgement had been wrong; she did indeed surprise him, and not for the better. _Why did she find it necessary to share this information? I do not want to know this._ A heavy darkness settled in his mind, instantly filling him with murderous rage. His hatred for the men who caused such deceit in his life made his skin grow hot and his blood run colder than the ice of Jotunheim. _Jul-Linn. Silvia._ Although Mac-Varr was no longer alive, Hal-Dan is certainly hiding in some hole like a common parasite, and he _will_ find him. He will avenge the women in his life and restore the Kree government to its former glorious state.

"Ronan?" He heard Silvia approach him from behind. The soft melody of her voice instantly calmed his maddened mind, allowing him to relax his tense body. The hammer dropped unceremoniously to the floor as blood returned to his clenched fists. He did not realize how vehement his breaths had become until the room became silent once again.

"Remove your garments," he said, turning to face her once again.

"Wh-What?" She asked, visibly caught off guard by his request.

"Remove your garments. _All_ of them," he ordered again as he began undressing himself. He blinked slowly with annoyance when she remained standing there gawking at him.

"Does this mean you're not mad at me?" She asked with a confused look on her face.

"No, I am not mad. As I said earlier, it was beyond your control. Now for _once_ do not argue with me and begin undressing," he said more sternly.

In the corner of his eye he could see her watching him undress, undoubtedly confused by their conversation's change of direction, but he chose not to utter another word. After another minute of silent contemplation, she chose to listen to him and began removing her thin layer of clothing. Due to the amount of armor he was wearing, he expectedly took longer to undress, leaving Silvia to awkwardly stand alone in the nude. At any second he anticipated her to ask questions or complain, or as she so often did – cry, but she remained uncharacteristically quiet as he removed the last of his clothing.

He lifted the large, bloodied hammer from the ground before walking to the outer ring of the ancient Kree emblem. Silvia remained standing where she was, covering herself with her hands in an act of modesty. Ronan smirked at her miserable attempt of hiding her womanly attributes.

"Come," he said, pointing to the center of the emblem. Silvia frowned with distaste as her feet walked across the blood-filled cracks, but much to his surprise, she remained silent.

He placed the end of his hammer into the keyhole in the floor, and walked to the center of the circle to join Silvia. Her height forced him to tilt his neck downwards as if he were to gaze at the floor. He found her staring up at him with a rather impatient, confused expression, but that look was quickly replaced with surprise when the floor began to lower into the chamber below.

"Ronan," she whispered, looking around her uneasily. The circle on which they were standing quickly descended into his meditation chamber below.

He often lied here in solitude, soaking in the blood of his enemies until he found the clarity he needed to complete his next mission. At other times, such as now, he longed to feel the warmth of his fallen foes out of retribution for their crimes. The custom always brought about a sense of completion to his kills.

When the blood began pooling into the chamber and rising at their feet, Silvia's small hands gripped onto his arms in blind desperation.

"What the fuck is this?" She exclaimed as she began frantically climbing onto him. He pulled her off his torso and held her where she stood, preventing her from jumping onto him again.

"Blood bathing is an ancient tradition of my people. Though it is rarely practiced today, it is still considered a sacred ceremony among the Kree. As a half-Kree, you should be honored to take part in such a spiritual act," he stated calmly, though his words seemed to only cause her more panic.

"This is disgusting," she groaned as the blood made its way up her calves.

"Lie down," he ordered as the complex chamber doors above began closing, sealing them in a pit of darkness.

"Ronan, I'm scared," she whispered. As a half-Kree, she could not see in the pitch-black chamber, however, Ronan was more than capable of visualizing his surroundings. The sight of her hands reaching out for him caused him to smile down at her, though she could not see him.

"Lie down, Silvia," he said, grabbing ahold of her hands. "I will remain by your side." He slowly lowered himself into the warm wetness until he was lying on his back.

"Ewww, gross," Silvia squealed as she joined him. As soon as she became submerged in the liquid, her complaining came to an end and her face transformed into one of euphoria. Ronan was genuinely taken aback by the sudden change.

"This is amazing," she whispered, closing her eyes. By now, the blood was completely covering their bodies leaving only their faces exposed. Soon however, they would be completely engulfed and forced to breathe in the nitrogen-enriched blood.

He watched with amusement as Silvia rubbed the blood across her face. "I can feel the life inside their blood, Ronan. It's _alive_," she said with a smile on her face. Though the gloves greatly diminished her ability, there were still some aspects of her power that could not be suppressed. He could not detect the energy which she spoke of, but he would take her word for it.

"We will soon be completely submerged. Do not panic. The blood is chemically altered for respiration," he said, closing his eyes.

"OK," she whispered only a few seconds before the blood covered their heads.

Her hand found his underneath the dark blue abyss and squeezed it with much more force than necessary. She reeked of fear. Once again he found himself smiling at the dependency she often exhibited for him. Her thin, delicate fingers felt so fragile in his hand and in a moment of weakness, he caught himself returning the grip. He was not accustomed to such foolish affections, but for her sake he would allow it for the time being.

It was only a few minutes later when he felt her body relax next to his, and not long after that she fell into a remarkable, heavy slumber. It was at this moment when he realized how difficult it would be to truly understand the workings of her mind, or any Terran for that matter, but he would try nonetheless. Terrans were not the dull creatures he once thought them to be; they simply lacked direction and control. Under tough guidance, they could be molded into capable allies and aide the Kree in more way than one. Terra's position is quite convenient for a Kree base, and would undoubtedly prove to be useful in the event of a Skrull uprising.

_Perhaps one day_, he thought as Silvia's fingers twitched in his palm.

He never released her hand. Not even as he slept.

* * *

**Silvia**

When I woke up I expected to still be inside the chamber of blood, but instead I was lying in bed, feeling more rested than ever before. Did that really happen or was it all a dream? Did I actually bathe in blood and _enjoy it_? I slowly peered under the sheets in search of evidence and noticed right away how differently my skin appeared. After my imprisonment my skin and hair lost much its vibrancy due to malnourishment, but now my whole body appeared rejuvenated. Back home I would have to spend thousands of dollars at the spa to get the same results. As I twirled my hair around in my fingers, I narrowed my eyes upon closer inspection and found blue, crusty material on the ends. Blood.

_So it wasn't a dream after all._

The longer I lived with Ronan, the more I felt myself transforming into someone I didn't even recognize. A part of me feared what would happen if I stayed with him, but the other, stronger half of me wanted nothing more than to leave behind the weak girl I once was. I will not allow myself to regress back into the traumatized victim who cried all the time. I will _not_ be another statistic. What happened to me does _not_ define me, and I _will_ grow stronger from my experience. _Yes. I can do this. _A smile formed on my lips as I heard my therapist's voice inside my head: _"Empower yourself with positive thoughts. Remember, Silvia, only you can create your own happiness." _

I stood up from the bed and walked over to the large, floor-length mirror in the corner of the room. As I stared into the glass, I became faced with two glowing eyes that appeared to be filled with violet, raging fire. My body remained perfectly still as I became mesmerized by the stone's energy hidden deep within my irises. The thought of having infinite power is both frightening and alluring, and every second, I can feel it growing stronger inside of me.

Although the gloves prevented me from accidently harming myself or others, I knew I was still capable of causing a significant amount of damage. There was a yearning inside of me that never seemed to go away. A hunger that could never be satisfied. I knew the stone was waiting for its opportunity to feed, it was only a matter of when and _who_.

Later that evening, one of Ronan's creepy, hooded servants brought me dinner. By the time I was done eating the rich, protein-packed meal my stomach felt uncomfortably full. Ronan thought I was still too skinny, so every meal I ate was loaded with carbs and fats. I wasn't complaining though, because now I could eat all the pastries I wanted without him lecturing me on the importance of a balanced diet. I licked my fingers clean of the sweet, sticky glaze as I stepped into the shower.

I took an especially long time cleaning myself because I wanted to make sure I removed all of the blood from my hair. After several minutes of smelling and exploring the large, dark shower, I settled on three different soaps that held scents of cinnamon, ginger, and citrus. The exfoliating soaps left my skin feeling cleaner than ever, not to mention I smelled amazing. I was slowly beginning to feel like myself again.

When I reentered the bedroom, I was pleasantly surprised to find Ronan standing by the bed, wearing only his thin, black pants. I watched him from behind as he wiped away the gritty paint from his face, silently admiring the way his muscles rippled across his back and shoulders. When he was finished, he threw the dirty, white cloth in his hand onto the floor and stared at the wall ahead.

I smiled as I approached him and ran my hand up the middle of his back, slowly tracing the curve of his spine. My fingers softly ran along his torso as I came to stand in front of him, causing goosebumps to appear on his blue, smooth skin. I felt the familiar longing deep inside my core as my eyes took in his strong chiseled abs and thick, muscular arms. _He is perfect… and I get to call him mine._

Overcome with desire, I stepped closer and dropped my towel to the floor. "Silvia," he said, as I pulled his pants down his legs. Now that he was standing completely naked in front of me, it was almost impossible for me to pay attention to what he was saying. "Silvia," he said again as I quickly lowered myself to my knees.

I immediately took him in my mouth and smiled at his satisfied groan. "Stop," he grunted as he wrapped his hand into my hair.

I moaned at the sensation of him growing inside my mouth and grabbed onto the base of his length. My lips became tightly stretched as he grew to his full size, but I enjoyed feeling him stretch me. As I began moving back and forth across his throbbing cock, he produced a deep, masculine growl that made me instantly wet. His hand tightened around my hair, silently urging me to continue pleasuring him, and I was more than happy to comply. My eyes looked upwards to find him watching me with parted lips. I had never seen a more arousing sight. I pulled back so only the tip of him was inside my mouth and swirled my tongue around his thick head in a teasing manner, enjoying the power I had over him.

His eyes remained transfixed on my face, watching and waiting for my next move. I pushed my head forward once again and took more of him inside of me than before. He was so long I could only take half of him inside my mouth before I started gagging. Even as I gagged, I continued to push forward until I could fit the majority of him down my throat. As I held my breath and took him deeper than before, I felt his hand push against the back of my head, forcing me to remain there. When I began groaning for air, he immediately released his grip from my hair, allowing me to pull back to breathe. He smirked down at me as I ran my tongue along his impressive member.

"You want more?" I teased, looking up at him. His eyes narrowed with amusement as he ran his fingers through my hair. I could tell he was having a hard time restraining himself, and I loved it. When my tongue flickered across his head, he closed his eyes in pleasure, but I stopped only a few seconds later. I smirked as his nostrils flared with frustration.

"Ask nicely and I'll give you what you want," I said in a playful tone. Ronan emitted a low growl before pulling upwards on my hair, causing me to hiss in pain as I stood up from the ground. His teeth grazed the side of my neck, threatening to bite me at any second. I panted heavily with desire as his mouth rested next to my ear.

"I do not ask," he said, still holding my hair. "I _take_," he growled. With one swift push I was lying flat on my back on the end of the bed.

I barely even had time to blink before Ronan was spreading my legs with his knees and pushing his thick length inside of me. Almost immediately I was moaning with overwhelming pleasure, digging my fingernails into his biceps as he drove himself into me with steady, fierce thrusts. I had forgotten how amazing this felt. Just as I started to reach my peak, Ronan slowed down his rhythm and smirked down at me.

"Ask nicely… and I'll give you what you want," he said, mimicking me from earlier. He sniggered as I pouted below him, and brought himself down onto his elbows so his face hovered closely above mine.

I remained stubbornly quiet as he continued his agonizingly slow pace, and this only made Ronan more determined to win. After a particularly deep, and well positioned thrust, I relented and was unable to suppress my moans any longer.

"Please," I groaned, making him grin. _Oh, shut up. _

"Please, _what?_" He said, obviously amused. I glared at him and turned my face away, unable to give in just yet.

Ronan growled and quickened his pace once again, instantly causing my face to contort as I attempted to suppress my moans. It wasn't fair how he found my g-spot so easily, making it almost impossible for me to resist him. I didn't even last ten seconds before I was shouting every expletive known to mankind.

"Please, let me cum. Please!" I cried out desperately as my body began to quake.

I felt his hands grip onto the sides of my face before his mouth greedily captured my swollen, red lips. He continued his perfect rhythm as he kissed me passionately, swallowing my moans as I shuddered against his body. Only a few short seconds later, I reached my climax and Ronan followed shortly behind with his. As we came together, Ronan continued fervently kissing me, forcing me to moan into his mouth. It was as if he wanted to taste my pleasure on his lips. When I regained my senses, I began kissing him back with equal passion, enjoying our post-coital affection.

He lifted his lips from mine and gazed deeply into my eyes, instantly filling me with worry. After living with Ronan, I could almost read him like an open book. There was a noticeable sadness in his eyes, but I had no idea what could be wrong, especially since we just got finished having amazing sex.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I held his face in my hands. He continued staring at me in silent contemplation, making my anxiety grow by the second.

"You are returning to Terra tomorrow," he said quietly. My stomach dropped at the news, instantly making me feel sick. He watched me in silence as his fingers stroked the sides of my face.

"No. I'm not going anywhere," I whispered in shock.

"This is not a request," he said, running his fingers through my hair. "I thought you would be pleased to return home," he said. He suddenly frowned with displeasure as he held a strand of my hair between his fingers.

"Yeah, maybe before – ", I said, stopping myself. _Before I fell in love with you_. "You don't really want me to leave... I can tell," I said, feeling more confused by the second. _Why is he doing this? Why now? _

He peered into my eyes once again. "Yes, I do," he said, making me gasp with pain. _Oww. That fucking hurts._ He frowned and grabbed ahold of my face once again. "It is for your safety," he said more urgently.

"My safety? But you said you'd protect me. You killed those men – " I said, shaking my head.

"I have enemies in all corners of the universe," he said more quietly. "The Dark Aster is no longer safe for you."

"Are you in danger?" I asked, suddenly worried.

"My safety is none of your concern. It is your life that needs protecting, not mine. I would not be doing this if I did not find it necessary," he said, gazing into my eyes. _This isn't fair. _

"Come with me," I whispered, suppressing the urge to cry.

Ronan grimaced and shook his head. "I do not run from my foes. It is not the Kree way," he said in a low voice.

"It feels like you're abandoning me all over again," I said, turning away from him. _How can he do this to me_? He gently grabbed ahold of my chin and looked me in the eyes.

"I will return for you when times are less perilous. This is not the end, Silvia," he said, pressing his forehead against mine.

"I hate this," I said, my voice threatening to break. _Don't you dare fucking cry._

"I know," he replied as his thumb stroked my cheek.

For the remainder of the night, we lied in each other's arms and enjoyed our last few hours together. As naturally quiet people, we didn't feel the need to create small talk. It would only ruin the moment. When the morning lights came on, Ronan did not immediately rise from bed as he normally did, but instead leaned over and kissed me gently on the lips. It was soft and slow, and so unlike him.

It felt like goodbye.

He was the first to get up, though he appeared reluctant at first. As soon as his feet touched the floor, he inhaled deeply and hardened his gaze.

"It is time," he said, walking over to my side of the bed. The tears which I held back for so long began making their appearance. I simply nodded and walked over to the closet, blindly grabbing whatever my hand first touched.

I looked around the bedroom one last time before entering the hallway. Ronan walked in front of me with his shoulders back and his head held high as we passed a few of his ugly, Sakaaran soldiers in the hall. To others, he might have looked terrifying, but to me he was beautiful. My eyes never left his tall, imposing figure during our ten minute walk through his dark, foreboding ship. I wanted to soak in every last, fleeting second I had with him.

When I saw Nebula around the next bend, time seemed to slow down, and it took all of my will power to keep moving forward. We came to a stop when we reached a square, air-tight door. The lump in my throat grew tighter by the second, threatening to choke me with horrible heartache and despair. As Nebula entered through the doors, I peered inside to see a large control panel and two Sakaaran soldiers sitting in tall, metal chairs. _It's a spaceship. This is it_, I thought as I prepared myself to say goodbye. Ronan remained silent as he faced me with stoic resignation, all emotion absent from his eyes and lips. _I know you're hurting as much as I am. How can you not after all we've been through?_ I understood that he couldn't show emotion in front of his soldiers, so I wasn't hurt by his lack of affection. Still though, I wish I could hug him one last time.

"Remember the importance of discipline, Silvia. Do not allow your emotions to determine your fate. If you find yourself incapable of restraining that Terran mind of yours, take one of these," he said, holding out his hand. It was a glass bottle filled with white, spherical pills. "Do not abuse them. I know how easily you succumb to idle pleasures" he said with a frown.

I nodded in silence, too scared to speak because I feared I might cry. It didn't seem appropriate to show such weakness in front of his henchmen, especially when they looked like they already despised me. I needed to be strong for Ronan.

He glanced behind me into the ship and nodded at someone, causing an almost immediate reaction. There was a loud, mechanical ringing as the spacecraft came to life, making the floor and walls around us vibrate. Ronan eye's locked onto mine as Nebula placed her hand on my shoulder, telling me it was time to leave. I took a step backwards into the ship and watched Ronan walk away without another word. My heart pounded rapidly inside my chest as he became more and more distant. _It can't end like this. _

"Ronan!" I shouted before I could stop myself. He paused and faced me half-way, meeting me with calm, cool eyes.

Knowing that we were being watched, I smiled tearfully and raised my hand to say goodbye, unable to say what I truly wanted to at the moment. Even from this far away, I could see his bright eyes flicker before lowering to the ground, and he quickly strode away faster than before. The door to the ship suddenly closed only inches from my face, causing me to jump with surprise. My hands pressed against the cool, metal surface, willing it to open again so I could see Ronan. It was too late though; we were already flying into the dark, twinkling space ahead. When I turned around, I found Nebula standing only a few feet away, staring at me with an odd mixture of impatience and curiosity.

"Is there somewhere I can lie down?" I said, my voice breaking mid-sentence. My throat felt so tight it was making it uncomfortable to breathe. Nebula remained watching me as she tilted her head to the side, pointing at a door to the left of me.

I quickly staggered towards the room, desperately wishing to hide before I had a mental breakdown and embarrassed myself even more. As soon as the door automatically closed behind me, I threw myself onto the cot and allowed myself to finally release my pent-up emotions. No amount of physical pain could come close to the pain I was experiencing now.

* * *

**Nebula**

Nebula tapped impatiently on the control panel in front of her. Even at warp speed, it took nearly twenty hours to reach Terra. It wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the Terran's obnoxious weeping. Even with the door closed, Nebula's enhanced senses prevented her from blocking out the annoying sound. _She's acting as if the universe is coming to an end._ After another hour of listening to her incessant blubbering, she lost her patience and strode into the girl's room fuming with animosity.

She had every intention to set the Terran straight, but one look at her and Nebula felt her hatred for the girl slowly dissolve. It's hard to feel angry towards someone as pitiful as her. It still aggravated her beyond all hells to be stuck inside this ship with her, but Nebula knew pain when she saw it. Silvia was full of it.

"Stop crying, Terran," she said, realizing she sounded harsher than she meant.

Silvia stirred under the blankets and lifted her face from the damp pillow. "My name is Silvia! SIL-VI-A," she said, glaring at her with anger. "And leave me alone! You're always so mean," she said, sniffling as she rolled over onto her side. Nebula couldn't help but roll her eyes at the girl.

Instead of leaving the room immediately as she should have done, she found herself walking over to the cot and sitting down next to her.

"I'm never going to see him again," Silvia whispered sadly.

"Did Ronan confirm this?" Nebula asked skeptically. She found it hard to believe Ronan would allow the girl to remain on Terra forever. Her powers could prove to be useful one day; besides, she's heard the noises coming from his bedroom. _Ugh. Gross._

"Well, no," she muttered. "He said he'd come back for me." _Just as I suspected. I'm never going to escape this Terran, _she thought with a grimace.

"Ronan doesn't make false promises," Nebula muttered resentfully.

She could still hear the warning he gave her the night before: "_Fail me again, and there will be no end to your suffering." _It's not as if his words caught her off guard, it was the fact that she knew them to be true is what troubled her. After her failure to protect the Terran on Kree-Lar, she couldn't really blame him for being upset. It's a miracle he didn't kill her.

"But what if something happens to him?" She asked quietly. Nebula shook her head at the girl's naivety.

"Clearly you aren't familiar with his reputation," she said sarcastically. The girl remained silent. "He will be fine, Terr-" she said, catching herself. "Silvia."

"Thanks, Nebula," she said with smile. _Eww._

"Don't get any ideas. I still despise you," she said as she exited the room.

Nebula remained quiet as she contemplated in the pilot's chair. Ronan never did tell her the reason for taking the girl back to Terra. She assumed he would have at least told the Terran – or she would have bugged it out of him – but even she didn't know the reason for her sudden departure. Why is Ronan suddenly concerned with the girl's safety? He is far too controlling and possessive to just give her up, unless of course he thinks she's in danger. _Yes, that's it._ Why else would he abruptly clear her schedule and demand she return the brat home first thing in the morning?

Ronan is scared… and there is only one person capable of intimidating a formidable man such as him.

_My father._

_Thanos._

* * *

**Ronan**

From his throne he watched Silvia's ship get smaller in the great black sea until it was no longer visible. By his side stood his trusted subordinate, Korath, who had a habit of delivering unfavorable news. Yesterday evening would mark yet another time his comrade brought with him grim tidings.

In his lap lied the opened, unmarked package Korath found sitting on Ronan's chair, and inside was a message that disturbed even him.

The hand of The Other, preserved by strange, dark magic, held in its palm a scroll. He distinctively remembers opening the bound parchment to find a troubling sight: long, thin strands of pale yellow hair. _Silvia's hair. But how?_

On the parchment read ten words he will not soon forget:

_Her screams will be the last thing you hear, boy._

* * *

**Silvia**

I had just fallen asleep when I felt someone angrily shaking me awake. My head felt as if it was spinning as I quickly sat up in bed and stared groggily into the dark, quickly spotting Nebula walking towards the door. Sleep is always a hard thing to come by when Nebula is around. After staying up last night and not sleeping much the day before, I was now completely delirious with exhaustion and felt as if I were going to collapse at any minute.

"What are the coordinates of your residence?" Nebula asked impatiently, already stepping through the door.

"I don't know," I said, rubbing my eyes. Nebula's face tightened with obvious annoyance as she reentered the threshold.

"What do you mean you _don't know_?" She said, raising her voice.

I shrugged my shoulders tiredly and looked up at her. "We use addresses not coordinates… unless you're in the government… or the military… and hmm… maybe – "

"Ahhh!" Nebula screamed with frustration. "Get up!" She shouted in a shrill voice.

I begrudgingly got out of bed and followed Nebula out into the pilot's quarters. I grimaced with disgust at the sight of the two Sakaaran pilots, but thankfully neither paid me any attention. As I looked out the front window, I felt my stomach twist uncomfortably when I realized we were in an asteroid belt. After flying around a particularly large asteroid we were met with the beautiful sight of my planet. I looked to the right of me when I noticed something flicker in the corner of my eye. Nebula was pulling up a 3D hologram of Earth in the middle of the room.

"Come here and locate your residence. Pointing should be easy enough for you," she muttered under her breath. I glared at her and walked over to the realistic projection.

I dragged my finger along the planet and slowly began spinning it until I found my country. I tapped on the Southeastern region, instantly causing it to zoom in. After several minutes of tapping and dragging my finger along the hologram, I was able to locate my house. Nebula stepped forward to get a closer look, and then looked at me from the side.

"Are you certain this is it?" She asked, her voice full of doubt.

"Yes," I answered.

"You live in _that_ by yourself?" She asked as she eyed me up and down.

"No, of course not. My mom and dad live there too… and our servants, guards, and…" I said, stopping when I noticed Nebula raise her eyebrow at me. "Just forget it," I mumbled as my cheeks grew red with embarrassment.

An hour later, we entered Earth's atmosphere. It was fucking terrifying. There was a deafening roar as fire surrounded the entire ship, threatening to burn us alive at any minute. Nebula didn't look at all concerned though, and that was the only thing keeping me from screaming aloud. It couldn't have lasted more than two minutes, but it felt like a lifetime to me.

"Won't they see us?" I asked with concern as we continued our descent.

"Terran technology can't detect us. Your species is far behind in… well, basically everything," she said with an arrogant smirk. I glowered at her in my chair.

It was night time here on Earth, which was great for me because I desperately needed sleep and I wouldn't be thrown off schedule. As we flew over the park close to my house – the same park where I was abducted – I felt a surge of excitement course through my body. It had been so long since I've seen my parents. When my house came into view, I couldn't help but smile. _Mom. Dad._

"Time to go. Stand there," she said, pointing to a circle in the middle of the room. The second I stepped inside the ring, a strange pale, blue light covered my skin. It became extremely difficult to move even a centimeter. There was an annoying ringing sound as my body began to vibrate and glow even brighter. Nebula looked at me as her finger hovered above a bright red button, and for the first time ever, I think she smiled at me. It could have easily been mistaken for a sneer though.

"Don't die, Terran," she said. _Yes. It was a sneer._

"I'll miss you too," I replied sarcastically. Half a second later, her finger pressed down on the button, and I was immediately forced downwards until I landed roughly on the solid ground of Earth.

I sighed discontentedly as I pushed myself up from the concrete driveway and brushed the dust off my pants. By the time I looked up, the ship was already gone. My feet dragged along the pavement as I began the long walk up our curvy, lengthy driveway. At nearly one quarter of a mile long, our driveway granted us the privacy we so often needed and desired. Tall, thick trees and shrubbery blocked any street view of our house, so it was impossible for paparazzi to spy on us. As I rounded the first bend, I came upon the gated entrance and guard booth. _Thank God._

"You there! Stop right where you are!" I heard Jimmy shout as he exited the booth. I smiled at the sight of a familiar face.

"It's me," I called out tiredly.

"Miss Alamanni? Oh my god! It's really you!" He began shouting happily. Jimmy always managed to make me smile, even when I didn't want to. His friendly demeanor, goofy smile, and thick Southern accent made him impossible not to like.

"_Everyone_ has been looking for you! Your father has managed to get just about every department involved. Department of Justice, Homeland Security, Defense… you name it. Geez Louise! I can't believe you're back!" He said, smiling enthusiastically.

"I'm glad to be home," I said, returning the smile. "I need to borrow your golf car. I'm too exhausted to walk anymore," I mumbled.

"Of course! I'll drive you up to the house. Man oh man, your parents are going to flip!" He said as he retrieved the small, white vehicle.

The wind felt amazing on my face as we made our way up the windy road. A couple minutes later we finally reached my parents beautiful, stone - and obscenely large, mansion. I laughed as I remembered the look on Nebula's face when she saw it. _I can understand why now._ After living with Ronan and being confined to much smaller spaces, our house appeared to be outrageous size-wise. Sure, Ronan's house was large and opulent, but it was nothing compared to the grand speculation of the Alamanni family.

My relatives have the tendency to extravagance in all aspects of life; whether it be homes, jewelry, cars, or yachts, bigger is always better. They all seemed to enjoy the public spotlight, whereas I on the other hand detested paparazzi more than anything. Almost every cousin on my father's side of the family has appeared on the cover of some trashy tabloid magazine or been arrested for public intoxication, DUI, or my favorite – drug possession. No family is perfect, especially mine.

Of course, there are also a large number of do-gooders in my family who are involved in great causes. My aunt Fiona, for example, donates the majority of her income every year to orphanages across the country and overseas as well. She is without a doubt my favorite aunt.

As an only child, I am considered the outcast of the family. Both my mom and dad have two brothers and two sisters, and they all grew up to have large families as well. As of now I have over thirty cousins, some of which I've never even met. Neither of my parents wanted more than one kid though, because they knew it would make the inheritance more complicated. My father has complete control over the company, and one day, it will unfortunately be passed on to me. I'm not a fan of oil companies, and I'm especially not interested in having to deal with my greedy relatives for the rest of my life.

Every aunt and uncle on the Alamanni side is entitled to one tenth of a percent of ownership, and as a result, each receives a portion of the company's revenue. Combined, they didn't even own one percent of the company, but they are still rolling in hundreds of millions of dollars every year. Still, it was never enough for them.

I've always preferred my mom's side of the family. They are laid-back, simple, and prefer a less indulgent lifestyle. Most of them live in New England though, so I hardly ever see them except for family reunions.

Jimmy said something next to me, bringing me out of my thoughts. "What?" I asked tiredly.

"What happened to you? Where were you this whole time?" He asked with a worried look on his face.

I said the first thing that came to mind: "New England." I could feel Jimmy staring at me, but he didn't ask any more questions after that.

My knees shook with anxiety as I stood by the front door and entered the four-digit code. The knob produced a mechanical clicking noise as it unlocked, and I quickly proceeded inside. Scents of apple, redwood, and pine filled my nose as I entered the tall, wooden foyer. I smiled at the warm sight. I climbed the curved staircase and shuffled tiredly across the rich, wooden walnut floors until I reached my parent's bedroom. The second I entered the room, both of them woke up fully alert and gawked at me with astonishment.

"Silvia?" My mother cried, jumping up from the bed. Her soothing voice seemed to trigger something inside of me, because almost instantly I sank down to the floor on my hands and knees, and began crying.

It felt bittersweet to be home.

It took hours to explain to my parents what exactly happened to me. Neither believed me when I first started telling the story of Ronan and I, but after looking at my eyes and demonstrating my new strength on my dad's gym equipment, they were left in a dazed shock. Of course, I left the gruesome and naughty details out because I didn't want them to worry about me or lecture me on the importance of purity, modesty, and blah blah blah. _If they only knew…_

After our long, emotional talk, my mother insisted I sleep in their bed with them. It didn't take much convincing for me though, because to be perfectly honest, I didn't want to sleep by myself. It seemed so wrong to lie in bed and not feel Ronan next to me. The warmth of my parents helped me fall asleep, but I woke up several times throughout the night calling out his name. _Ronan._

_Where are you? Are you thinking of me? Do you miss me?_

We were sitting in the breakfast nook of our kitchen when the doorbell began to endlessly ring. It had to be our relatives because they were the only ones allowed past the gate. Our butler, Henry, politely shooed them away one by one, but of course, they all hovered around the front door like vultures. I inhaled the rich, bold coffee in my mug and stared longingly at the plate of cinnamon roll pancakes in front of me. Our chef, Mindy, made them especially for me because she knows they're my favorite. I licked my lips hungrily as I began cutting into the gooey, rich stack.

"We need to figure out what we're going to tell everyone," my mother said before taking a sip of her coffee.

"Mmf," I interrupted with a mouthful of pancakes. "I yold yimmy I was in New Engwan," I mumbled. My parents looked over at me simultaneously with surprise.

"New England!" My father exclaimed. "How the hell did that happen? Jesus, Sil. What are we supposed to do with New England?" He shook his head at me with impatience.

"Tony," my mother scolded him. "It will be fine. We can work with that," she said, smiling at me reassuringly.

Later that afternoon, I found myself standing in the middle of my walk-in closet, gawking at the ridiculous amount of clothes and shoes that lined the walls. After a significant amount of sighing and groaning, I picked a blue Chanel blouson dress and black Manolo Blahnik flats. My stylist, who also happened to be my makeup artist, arrived shortly later to complete my ensemble. She also brought with her two pairs of blue contacts to cover up my bright, purple irises. The significant increase in her salary, as well as her new contract, prevented her from asking any questions; though, I doubted she even cared. Alexa is the definition of "go with the flow." I could tell her her house caught on fire, and she'd probably just shrug it off and say "oh well."

"You look beautiful, as usual," Alexa said as she brushed the tip of my nose. "I'm glad you're back," she said with a sincere smile.

"Me too," I immediately replied, but the words felt empty to me. Am I actually happy to be home? Yes, I missed my parents… but this… not so much.

My heels clicked loudly against the hardwood floors, sending echoes off the tall, wooden walls. It took nearly five minutes to walk from one side of the house to the other. The rooms appeared to grow larger as I passed through one to the next. Ballroom. Banquet Hall. Library. Another ballroom. Parlor. Servant's quarters. It just seemed to go on forever. _Why is all of this necessary?_

George was waiting for me by the Rolls Royce when I exited the side of the house. My long, beloved driver was one of the few people I trusted. During my rebellious teenage years, George would often chauffer me and my friends around town way past our curfews, and never once did he rat us out to my parents. He smiled and nodded his head at me as he opened the backseat door.

"It's good to have you home Miss Alamanni," he said, tipping his hat.

"Thank you, George. I missed you," I said wholeheartedly. My parents joined me in the limo not too long after that, and only fifteen minutes later, we arrived at City Hall to meet the press.

I frowned at the large crowd that already surrounded the building. "Look at all of them," I muttered with distaste. Every major news station's van was parked along the side of the street, and behind the metal barricade stood hundreds of reporters, paparazzi, and excited citizens.

_I hope they believe my story. The last thing my dad needs is another scandal._

By the time we entered the building, my head was pounding from the screaming and relentless, bright flashing of cameras. "_Silvia! Miss Alamanni! Silvia! Hey Silvia! Governor Alamanni! Sil!" _Neither my parents nor I were huge fans of the press, but after speaking with our anxious publicist, Katherine, we decided a short press conference would be best. Apparently there are rumors that I was held in a Cuban prison for smuggling drugs. Another tabloid magazine predicted that I was secretly detoxing in a secluded drug rehabilitation center and was in fact never actually missing. _Well, fuck you too._

After the press conference, we promptly returned home and retreated to the family living room. I sat cross-legged on the navy blue, tufted couch next to my mom. My father sighed and poured himself a glass of whiskey before turning on the large, flat screen TV. We all stared nervously at the screen as video of the press conference began playing on every news channel across the country.

"_Lost at Sea: Silvia Alamanni returns after dangerous boat crash."_

"_Deep sea fishing gone wrong."_

" – _found off the coast of Maine."_

"_How America's wealthiest heiress defied the odds..."_

"_Privilege turned to peril. Tonight at 9. " _

"_She's so skinny! No wonder. The poor girl was forced to eat raw fish for fifty-five days!"_

"… _but did you see her dress? How beautiful!"_

"_Governor Anthony Alamanni's approval rating remains at nearly one-hundred percent."_

"_Sneaking off and stealing her father's boat? Talk about karma! I hope she's learned her lesson."_

" – _miracle she's still alive." _

They believed it. The fucking idiots actually believed my story. My father sighed with relief and celebrated with another shot of whiskey. I heard my mother chuckle next to me at the same moment a photo-shopped image of me swimming in the ocean appeared. As the night progressed, we began laughing harder and longer until there were tears in our eyes.

For a few minutes, I forgot about Ronan, and I was genuinely happy. The sadness returned later that night when I was lying in my bed alone. I eyed the glass bottle of pills on my nightstand and felt the tears swell in my eyes. _He knew I would need them._ I bitterly opened the bottle and popped one of the tiny spherical pills into my mouth. It took less than a minute for me to feel the effects. My heart and respiration rate dropped dramatically as time passed slower with every second. It felt as if a foggy, warm cloud had made its home in my head, forcing my body to relax as my mind began to shut down. Minutes later, I felt nothing but warm, comforting nothingness. I was content, but not happy. Warm, but empty. I simply existed. The effects lasted for nearly eight hours, long enough for me to get a much needed night's rest.

Every night I started taking a pill before I went to sleep. As the days progressed, I started taking them earlier and earlier, until eventually I took one almost every morning. Nearly half the vial was gone within two weeks. Without them, I wouldn't be able to attend the endless parties and interviews my parents pushed me into. I smiled and said all the right things to all the right people.

I refused to use my phone and TV any longer because every time I turned them on, I became almost immediately upset. Endless calls from reporters, TV hosts, and self-proclaimed friends caused me to throw my phone against the wall in a fit of rage. My mother shrieked as it flew through our kitchen wall and into the backyard pool. _Shit. _My parents were very unhappy with me that day.

"Silvia," my mother said softly. I looked up from my plate of Belgian waffles and stared at her numbly.

"I'm worried about you. You hardly speak to us anymore, and when you do it's like you're not even there. What's wrong, honey? Do you need to talk about something? Dr. Moynihan said she can fit you into her schedule tomorrow morning if you want. Your father and I are very concerned," she said with a frown.

"I'm fine, mom. You and dad should quit worrying. It's bad for your health," I replied calmly. The pill I took from earlier was doing its job very well at the moment. My mother's frown deepened as she continued watching me eat.

"I've decided I'm going to leave town for a while, at least until things calm down here," I said before taking another bite of waffle.

"Uhh, well, where are you going?" My mother asked in her worried tone.

"Our villa in Monaco. I think the south of France would be good for me," I casually answered.

"I can go with you," she said, holding onto my hand.

"No. I need to be alone for a while," I said, staring back at her. I looked away when I saw her eyes glisten with tears. _I can't handle your tears as well as mine._

"It will be fine, mom," I said reassuringly. "I will be fine," I whispered again to myself.

"At least take Ralph for protection," she said after a few seconds of silence. I looked over at her, and the expression on my face must have been amusing because she began laughing tiredly.

"Never mind. I forgot… you're superwoman now," she said as she tenderly stroked my hair.

"I love you, mom," I said, my tone void of all emotion. _Stop sounding like a fucking robot. _I leaned forward and hugged her to bring myself out of my apathetic state, but not even the warmth of my mother could provoke emotion.

The next morning I ate breakfast on the family jet, free of any mind-numbing medication. Simply stepping inside the jet made me feel ten times lighter. Leaving town is the best choice I made all week. I value freedom more than anything else, but back home, I couldn't even walk out my front door without being harassed by nosy relatives or trespassing photographers. For the first time in weeks, I fell asleep without the aid of Ronan's powerful drug.

The air was cool and the sun was bright at Aéroport Nice Côte d'Azur. The wind was refreshingly strong and crisp with the smell of sea as it threatened to blow away my floppy hat. I quickly crossed the landing and joined Jean, my overly-friendly pilot, as he boarded our helicopter. The bright, blue waters of the French Riviera shone beautifully under the clear sky. By the time we arrived at my family's villa on the coast, my cheeks were aching from the unfamiliar act of smiling. I waved at Jean and walked backwards towards the house. "Ciao, Jean!" I shouted above the loud, whirling propelling.

"À plus tard, mon cherie!" He replied with a wink, making me laugh.

I stood there in the secluded backyard and watched the helicopter lift into the air with a smile on my face. The palm trees around me appeared to be waving as well. I held onto my hat as the wind subsided and turned to face my beloved, vacation home: Villa Marie, named after my beautiful grandmother. The two-story, pale yellow stucco villa was both elegant and charming. Its ivy-ridden windows and soft, blue shutters gave it a rustic appearance, but renovations over the last few years modernized it on both the inside and outside.

The large lap pool and ten-person Jacuzzi was the most obvious update to be made on the outside. The inside of the house was cheerful and bright with sunlight due to the abundance of windows and white-stucco walls. The dark, shining hardwood floors and thick, heavy wooden furniture offered sophistication and warmth. Soft throw pillows and textured blankets filled the elegant white sectional and chairs, making it feel inviting and cozy. Every modern amenity you could ever want was here, plus, it was powered by clean solar energy, so I didn't feel bad for blasting the surround-sound speakers and home theater system. There honestly wasn't any place more beautiful, or fun, than the Villa Marie.

I was practically living on cloud nine, finally regaining a sense of my former self when I received a disgruntling call from my mom.

"It will take less than a day, Silvia. Germany is only a few hours away! Do us this favor and please don't be difficult about this," my mother chided me.

"Mom, I came here to get away, not to go to another stupid, pointless party," I complained. _Ugh, this means I have to wear clothes again. _After days of walking around in only my bra and panties, putting on a formal gown sounded terrible.

"Silvia, Dr. Schifer is a strong supporter of your father's campaign and a family friend. He's invited all three of us, but your father and I won't be able to attend, so you need to make an appearance for us and apologize on our behalf," she said as she blew her nose into the phone. I wrinkled my nose and sighed with annoyance.

"Dr. Schifer is creepy. Every time I see him he makes me call him uncle Ric," I muttered unhappily.

"Just go, Silvia. Honestly, we don't ask that much of you. I love you. I need to take care of your father now. Poor thing has the flu!" She said before hanging up.

_Well, at least I brought a dress with me_, I thought as I pulled out the black, floor-length gown from my closet. I didn't even make it a week before I was being forced back into the lion's den. A part of me must have known this would happen, or else I wouldn't have packed such an extravagant dress.

I called Jean a few minutes later and arranged for him to pick me up early the next morning. His response was less than surprising:

"Bien sûr, mon cherie! It brings me great plaisir to help a friend comme vous!" I couldn't help but laugh at his cliché French accent and oddly, polite forwardness.

After a lengthy day of traveling and hearing Jean talk about his love for women, I finally arrived in Stuttgart, Germany. My hired driver was already waiting for me upon exiting the jet, and we immediately left for Steigenberger Hotel which was only a few blocks away from the museum. It took me nearly two hours to get ready because Alexa wasn't here to help me. _This is why I prefer wearing nothing_, I thought as I struggled to zip up the back of my dress.

As I walked through the streets of Stuttgart in my gown, I looked nervously down at my hands, wondering when people would start noticing I'm wearing the black gloves all the time. For all I know, they probably have, but my avoidance of social media and news channels makes me ignorant about my reputation. _At least tonight the gloves match my outfit,_ I thought positively as I approached the white, stone building. I felt a pang of sadness as I saw the elegant museum, because it reminded me of Ronan's home. I pushed aside all thoughts of him when I noticed the paparazzi were starting to take my picture. Like a good little heiress, I smiled cheerfully and posed on the red carpet for ten seconds as I always did.

Throughout the night, dozens of people approached me, of which only half I knew, and I dutifully plastered a smile across my tired face. The expensive champagne definitely helped make the party more interesting, but it was still filled with pretentious assholes. _Where the fuck is Dr. Schifer so I can say hi and leave?_ As I pretended to pay attention to some old man's twenty-something-year-old wife's boring story, I looked around the room and fully appreciated Europe's high class society. Fur coats, trim suits, expensive rings, and even more expensive watches, were adorned by all, including me. I had an image to uphold after all. _I'll never get out_, I thought bitterly to myself as I chugged the remainder of my drink and grabbed another off a passing waiter's tray. The second the trophy wife looked away, I shuffled up the curved, marble stairs where I knew no one would pester me.

On the second floor balcony, I looked down at the laughing, aristocratic crowd and frowned as I caught a glimpse into my future. This couldn't be all there was to offer.

"Ronan, if you can hear me, I'm begging you… please…rescue me from this meaningless life. Please, God, don't leave me here," I said, closing my eyes. A slow, mischievous chuckle from behind caused me to gasp and drop my glass, but before it hit the floor, it miraculously turned to sand. _Oh, shit._

"Praying to be rescued? How entertaining," taunted the mysterious man lurking in the dark corner. His exceedingly smooth, English accent was far too alluring and regal sounding to be from around here. There was something about him… I could sense something… his energy… it wasn't human.

"Who is that?" I demanded, already walking backwards towards the stairs.

"I am Loki of Asgard, and you mortal, will kneel before me," he stated with confidence as he stepped out of the shadows.

_The fuck?_

* * *

**Author's Note: Ahhhhhhh I'm so sorry to keep you guys waiting for soooo long! I made this chapter extra long to make up for it! I had some pretty major surgery done on my jaw so I've been out of it the last few weeks! Really hated leaving you guys hanging like that. Thank you everyone for the reviews and PM's and follows/favs. I have the best fans ever :) The positive feedback definitely helped quicken my recovery... I was very anxious to get back to writing. Don't worry... I am NOT quitting this story any time soon. It's allllllll taken care of people! The updates might be a little slower, only because I'm starting to work on my book, and this is more of a little side project. Again, thank you guys for everything!**

**I would love to hear what you guys thought of this chapter... a lot went on! And a new character is making his appearance. I know some of you are probably excited about that - I know I am! ;) Yes, this will still remain a Ronan/OC story, but a lot can happen. Hope you enjoyed it! Love you guys 3**


	18. Part II: Chapter 2

_**Chapter song: Human by Civil Twilight**_

* * *

Raven hair framed his pointed, chiseled face. The paleness of his skin rivaled that of my own, though he appeared to be on the verge of illness. The dark, prominent circles under his eyes only accentuated his pallor complexion. _Those eyes._ Deep green like that of a summer forest, filled with contempt and arrogance, shined in the midst of his colorless face.

Thin lips spread taut into a maleficent grin now grew wider by the second. Every step I took backwards was matched by an even wider step in my direction, and very quickly, he was only a few short feet away. The gold cane he held in his right hand snapped against the marble bannister in front of me, blocking my escape route. The glowing, blue stone in the tip of his cane emitted the strange energy I detected earlier, filling me with the familiar hunger I always felt before losing control.

_Shit. No. Not here._

I inhaled deeply through my nose and looked up until I met his eyes. "Get away from me," I said, sounding anything but brave.

_Please. Before it's too late._

His eyes wrinkled as his lips drew back into a wide smile, revealing perfect, white teeth. "Your courage hangs by a thin rope, girl. Do I truly frighten you so?" He asked with a smirk.

"No, I'm not scared of you, you fucking creep. Now get out of my way," I said more angrily as I took a step to the side. His arm immediately came down and blocked my path, successfully caging me against the cold, hard bannister. There was nowhere for me to go. I could feel the familiar vibrations starting at the base of my spine, slowly making its way up into my limbs.

_No. No. No. What do I do? _

"Strange," he said, leaning in closer. "Cornered by an unfamiliar man, yet it is not the man you fear, it is yourself which terrifies you most," he said, his eyes narrowing with curiosity.

_Wait, how does he know that? _

_Does he know what I am?_

"Yet another exceedingly small, foul-mouthed human, I presume," he said, his eyes lighting up with amusement.

_Is he… is he reading my mind?_

"Yes," he answered in a taunting tone.

"How did…" I started to ask, but I quickly cut myself off. "Fuck off," I growled, shaking my head. My skin was now beginning to sweat from the battle raging inside of me.

"Careful, Midgardian," he sneered above me. "You should address your king with respect." He continued speaking, but my frenzied mind was unable to process his words. _Where are my fucking pills? _I thought as I began digging through my leather clutch.

With shaking hands, I frantically pulled out the glass vial and popped three of the white spheres into my mouth. _Better safe than sorry. _As I felt the pills make their way down my throat, I sighed with relief and let my body relax. The tingling sensation disappeared, but I still felt the strange hunger throughout my body. When I looked up, I found the man staring at me with obvious confusion.

"What was that?" He asked as he watched my now-wandering eyes.

I placed my hands behind me on the bannister to hold myself up. "Just…medicine," I said, blinking slowly.

Anger flashed in his eyes. "Lying will not work with me, girl," he said, lowering his voice. At that moment the string quartet on the first floor stopped playing, making the room eerily quiet. The silence was quickly filled with Dr. Schifer's voice on the microphone. _Well, there you are Uncle Ric._

The man who called himself Loki stepped away from me and eyed me with distaste.

"You are far more entertaining with life in your eyes," he said with a sneer. He then began strolling away towards the stairs in a lazy, arrogant manner. I leaned backwards against the bannister and sank down to the floor, closing my eyes from exhaustion.

Less than a minute later, the room erupted with horrified screams. My eyes shot open in a panic, but the rest of my body seemed unwilling to move. After a lengthy struggle, I pulled myself up from the floor and leaned over the balcony to inspect the chaos below. People were running from the building, but in the middle stood Loki with a man pinned underneath him on a table. Even from here, I could see the maniacal, satisfied grin on Loki's face as he looked around the room of screaming men and women. I felt chill bumps spread across my skin as his gaze slowly drifted upwards in my direction, pinning me with his malicious, evil smile. He pulled his hand back from the man's face and revealed an unsettling sight; his right eye ball had been completely removed, leaving a gaping, bloody hole in his face.

I stumbled backwards as I felt the sudden urge to vomit. _Who the fuck is this guy? I need to get out of here! Damn it, I shouldn't have taken those pills. _I took a deep breath and slapped myself across the face in an attempt to pull myself together. It worked, but I still stumbled around like my legs were half-asleep. By the time I reached the bottom of the stairs, Loki was nowhere to be seen. As I passed the man on the table, my lips parted in shock as I recognized the poor victim. _Dr. Schifer._ He was still alive, though gratefully unconscious.

Outside, I could see Loki standing before a crowd of frightened citizens, and all were kneeling on the ground before him. I noticed right away he was no longer wearing the sleek, black suit he wore when I spoke with him, but instead was adorned in gold and green armor, complete with a golden helm with horns. _Horns, really?_

"Is not this simpler? Is this not your natural state? It's the unspoken truth of humanity, that you crave subjugation. The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life's joy in a mad scramble for power, for identity. You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel," he said with a sickening smile.

I watched from the museum stairs as an old man stood up from the crowd. "Not to men like you," he said with admirable bravery.

Loki laughed. "There are no men like me," he said with amusement.

"There are _always_ men like you," the German man replied.

"Look to your elder, people. Let him be an example," he said as he lowered his glowing blue scepter.

Now completely furious and far beyond annoyed, I stepped forward to defend the elderly man. The clicking of my heels against the stone stairs was quickly drowned out by the rumbling of an aircraft engine in the distance. My enhanced hearing and sight allowed me to detect a speeding jet heading in our direction. Just as Loki fired his weapon at the brave senior, a man dressed in a skin-tight, American uniform appeared from the crowd and used his star-spangled shield to deflect the blast from Loki's scepter. The blue energy bounced off the shield and back to Loki, knocking him face-down into the ground.

The man in the uniform walked confidently through the crowd. "You know, the last time I was in Germany and saw a man standing above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing," he said as he approached Loki.

"The soldier," Loki sneered. "The man out of time."

"I'm not the one who's out of time," he said as the jet I heard from earlier appeared. I could see all of its guns were pointed in Loki's direction. _How powerful could this guy be?_

"Loki, drop the weapon and stand down," a female voice sounded from the jet.

There was a slight pause before Loki drew back his arm and fired his scepter at the jet. Luckily, the pilot was able to swerve to the left at the last second, barely missing Loki's blast of energy. The American man threw his shield at Loki, but it merely bounced off of his armor. He caught his shield in the air as he ran towards Loki, and with all his strength he punched Loki in the jaw. I could hear the powerful blow from where I stood. I watched in awe as Loki remained standing upright, looking more surprised than anything else. In a sudden fit of anger, Loki charged the soldier with his scepter, striking him until he managed to break through his shield. My stomach clenched with fear as I watched the soldier get thrown back several yards away.

I remained standing still while hundreds of people ran in all directions around me. My head felt as if it were spinning as the drugs continued pumping their sedative effects throughout my body. The people, cars, and lights surrounding me suddenly merged together, forming a blurry, indistinct sight. I could hear metal clashing against metal as the two men continued to fight. My vision became clear enough to see Loki throw the soldier with his hand as if he were a mere rag doll. Just as I started to feel all hope was lost for the soldier, I saw a familiar sight in the sky and I instantly smiled. Tony Stark – aka Iron Man – flew straight towards Loki, and without hesitation, fired at him with the ray guns located in his hands. Loki was immediately forced backwards in the air until he landed hard on the concrete, grunting with pain. He remained on the ground as Tony and the soldier approached him, and in a sudden turn of events, he held up his hands in surrender. Maybe it was the drugs making me hallucinate, but I could have sworn his armor dissolved into thin air, leaving him once again in his elegant, tailored suit.

As the American soldier escorted Loki aboard the jet, Tony spotted me in the crowd and proceeded to fly over to me. I've known him ever since I was a little baby, though I haven't seen him in years. One of my earliest memories is of him bouncing me up and down on his knee until I was crying from laughter. The Starks and Alamannis are practically family. Without my great-great grandfather, Stark Industries might not even exist today.

Several girls around me started squealing with joy as he landed directly in front of me. "Hey Tony," I said tiredly, staggering where I stood.

"Hey kid. You've, uh… grown," he said, looking at with me surprise.

"That usually happens with time," I said smiling at him. A wave of vertigo hit me out of nowhere, causing me to stumble backwards. By now, there were dozens of cameras flashing all around us.

Tony grabbed ahold of my arms, keeping me up straight. "Yeah, looks like you've been having a _real_ good time," he said, looking around. "Alright, London Bridge, time to go," he said as he put on a fake smile for the crowd.

I nodded and leaned into him, now too tired to stand. He sighed and gathered me in his arms bridal style, instantly causing the paparazzi to swarm around us and blind us with their obnoxious, flashing cameras.

"Pepper will not be pleased," I heard him mutter before he flew us over to the jet.

When we stepped inside the small aircraft, I was instantly met with confused stares from all aboard, including Loki. The man in the red, white, and blue outfit now had his mask removed, and I had to admit he was extremely handsome. If it weren't for the harsh glare he was giving Tony, I probably would have smiled and giggled like every other girl. He was blessed with classic good looks and an impressively ripped body, and his thick, blonde hair made me feel the tiniest bit jealous.

"Really? You can't go one night without taking advantage of some helpless, drunk girl," he said, glancing over at me in my chair.

"Umf nod trumk," I said. _Fuck._ I slouched defeatedly in my chair across from Loki, who was now staring openly at me with disgust.

"You heard her. She's fine," Tony mumbled sarcastically.

"No. Take her off. You are jeopardizing the mission by bringing a civilian aboard," he stated more angrily.

"Oh, don't get your panties in a bunch. She's a family friend," Tony casually replied as he strapped me into my seat. "Does the name Alamanni ring a bell, Gramps?" He asked, glancing over at him. "Yeah, I thought so. Even back in _your day_ they were quite something." _What the hell is he talking about? He doesn't look a day over twenty-five._

"It's fine, Cap. She can stay," said the woman with red hair.

Cap glanced uneasily at me. "If anything happens to her, it's on you," he replied, pointing at Tony.

That was the last thing I heard before I fell into a heavily sedated slumber.

Some loud noise jostled me in my seat. My dreary eyes slowly lifted to find Loki scowling unhappily across from me. When I glanced to my left I noticed a tall, brawny man had joined us. It was Thor. I recognized him from all of the papers I read in Ronan's house. Tony was standing across from him, facing me, and he stopped mid-sentence when he noticed I had awakened.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty. No, not you," he said, patting the soldier named Cap. "You missed quite a commotion. I'm surprised you didn't wake up with Thunder Thighs here rocking the damn jet," he said as he glanced at Thor who was now walking over to me. I looked up tiredly and smiled.

"Hello my lady, my name is –"

"Thor. I know who you are," I answered nicely. He looked taken aback, but smiled.

"Have we met before? I doubt it, for I could never forget such beauty," he said with charm.

In the corner of my eye I could see Loki watching us. "No, never. I've just seen you on the news," I lied.

"Well, it is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, miss…," he inquired.

I smiled at his formality. "Silvia. You can call me Silvia."

Shortly later, the jet connected to a much larger aircraft, and I was quickly escorted away from the strange assortment of people, including Tony. A security guard showed me to my guest chamber, and I promptly took a shower and changed into the casual clothes they provided for me. Just as I slipped the fitted black V-neck over my head, I heard a soft knock on my door.

"It's open," I called out.

A short, balding man with a gentle face walked through the door, and in his right hand he carried a thick folder tucked tightly against his side.

"Miss Alamanni, I'm agent Coulson of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. Better known as S.H.I.E.L.D.," he said with a soft smile. "May I?" He said, pointing to a chair by the door.

"Yes, of course. Please," I said, gesturing with my hand. I awkwardly sat on my bed facing him, silently wondering what this was all about.

"Your father has asked us to return you to the States. I agree it's probably best you return home," he said with a polite smile.

"Well, OK, then," I said, clasping my gloved hands together. "That's… great." I could feel my happiness instantly shrivel away. Home is the last place I want to be right now. I didn't want to return to reality just yet.

His eyes lingered on my hands for a second too long. "I have a few questions for you, if you don't mind?" He asked as he opened up his file. I looked at the door uncomfortably.

"Is something wrong?" He asked, looking up at me.

Out of habit, I swung my feet nervously back and forth off the bed. "No, not at all. Umm, what sort of questions?" I asked in a quiet voice.

He looked back down at his file. "It's regarding your disappearance. There are a few missing parts of your story that I hoped you – "

"Listen, I really don't want to talk about –"

"We know the truth, Silvia," he said more seriously than before. I could feel the blood rushing in and out of my ears.

I paused a few seconds. "What do you mean?"

"We can play this game if you want, but the fact of the matter is you and I both know your story is a lie. I have rescued plenty of agents from the sea, and none ever managed to come out looking as _refreshed_ as you," he said, pointing his finger at me. I twisted my hands nervously, wishing I could feel the skin underneath the fabric.

"You have been seen wearing those gloves since your reappearance. Would you care to elaborate on that?" He asked, eyeing me carefully.

"I like them," I answered shortly.

"And you suddenly prefer wearing ankle-high socks as well," he said with a smile. From his pile of papers he pulled out a picture of me I recognized from a party not too long ago. In it I could be seen adjusting the sock on my left foot underneath my evening gown. Judging by the angle of the picture, this was taken inside someone's coat pocket.

Great, so now S.H.I.E.L.D. is spying on me? Not only do I have low-life scums following me around every day, but now I have a secret government agency riding my ass as well? _Fuck my life._

"Yes, I _love_ socks," I replied coolly. "They keep my feet warm."

"Don't you mean _foot_? You see, you only wear one on your left foot," he said pointing to the photograph.

"Can I go? I'm hungry," I said, standing up.

"Of course, we'll speak again another time," he said as he held out his hand for me to shake. I coldly brushed past him without another word.

_Not likely._

I was secretly wandering the hallways for nearly thirty minutes when I noticed a glass window up ahead, and inside, I could see Tony working on a 3-D hologram in a white lab. There was another man beside him who reminded me of a sad puppy. He was slightly shorter than Tony, olive-skinned, and had dark hair with specks of gray.

I tapped on the glass window, making both of them look up in surprise. Tony winked when he saw me and casually walked up to the glass door.

"Can I come in?" I asked, looking around curiously. Tony stepped side to side, blocking my view into the lab.

"Sorry, Tinkerbell, you need a security clearance," he said, pointing to the sign on the door.

"So," I sighed. "My family pays for most of this stuff and I'm not even allowed to see it?" I asked, placing my hand on my hip.

"Sucks to be rich, huh?" He replied sarcastically. "Now go on, fly away little birdy. Let the adults get back to work," he said, shooing me with his hands. I rolled my eyes and stepped backwards.

"I'm not a kid anymore, Tony. I'm twenty-two years old," I said with reddened cheeks. "And you can kiss your invitation to our Fall banquet goodbye," I replied in a playful, sassy tone.

Tony made a shocked face and dramatically placed his hand over his glowing-blue heart. His lab partner, who was watching us curiously in silence, faintly shook his head and grinned. As I backed away from the glass door, I waved goodbye to his friend, which caused him to smile uncomfortably and avert his gaze.

I turned around and looked right to left, trying to decide which direction I wanted to explore next. "Wait, how did you even get in here?" I heard Tony ask from inside his lab. I turned halfway around with my finger placed upon my lips and smiled at him, knowing he would never rat me out. After a lifetime of avoiding paparazzi and sneaking past my parents, I became very good at not being seen when I didn't want to be.

I decided to go right.

Every time I heard footsteps approaching me from ahead, I would hide behind a column or tuck myself inside a small crevice, waiting for the person to pass. It felt invigorating and undeniably fun to sneak around on a ship full of people who were secretly spying on me. Although I knew what I was doing was probably extremely illegal, I somehow convinced myself that it was just an innocent little game and no harm could come from it. Besides, they started it by spying on me. Tit for tat is how I see it.

I peered around a corner and saw two black-suited men standing guard by a door. After several minutes of debating whether I should give up and return to my room or find out what's behind that door, I of course, chose the former.

"Hey!" I shouted from behind the corner, hiding behind a pole. The two guards immediately looked at each other, both appearing unsure of what to do next. I rolled my eyes and sighed.

"Help me!" I shrieked, adding more desperation to my voice. This time the men immediately began jogging in my direction, and I carefully hid myself behind the pole, slowly twirling around it to remain unseen. I watched as the guards disappeared down the hallway and smiled at their stupidity.

I excitedly ran over to the mysterious door, now anxious to discover what was hidden inside. I pulled on the handle, but as expected, it was locked. To the right of the door was a control pad, filled with numbers one through nine, and on top was a retina scanner. Knowing that I could never crack the code, let alone pass the retina test, I started to back away from the door. But a thought quickly came to mind.

If I can't get through the security system, can I _break_ through it instead? I stepped forward once again and placed my gloved hand directly upon the control pad, closing my eyes in concentration. With a deep breath, I began summoning the energy inside of me that was waiting to be released. My hands immediately began vibrating, and seconds later the control pad screen started flickering with distorted images, until finally, it became completely blank. Not a moment later, I heard a small click as the door miraculously unlocked.

_Fuck yes. _

I pulled once again on the door handle, only this time it easily opened for me, and I quickly stepped through the threshold. Inside was a dimly-lit hallway that curved to the right, like the letter C. I had no idea what awaited me around the bend, but instead of feeling frightened, I became more excited with every breath and step.

Cold air crawled across my skin as I continued creeping down the forbidden passage, growing closer to whatever S.H.I.E.L.D. had locked away so deep inside the ship. The second I reached the unseen part of the hallway, the air around me shifted in an unsettling way. My feet came to a pause as the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. There was a heavy, cold presence that felt strangely familiar. A part of me knew I should return to my room, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I continued forward, though at a much slower pace.

The hall became brighter with light as I came closer to the end. As I rounded the final curve, I felt my pulse quicken as I realized it opened into a large, circular room. _So this is it_, I thought as I stepped inside, looking around to make sure I was alone. The walls were a dark metal, filled with various pipes and luminescent lights. In front of me were yellow-painted guard rails that lined the walkway and surrounded a large, circular glass…room? It appeared to be white inside. _Maybe it's another lab._ I casually peered over the yellow guard railing, surprised not to see any guards below. As I approached the center of the walkway, there was a glass window on my left, looking into a control room. Again, there was no one in there. I sighed from boredom.

I turned to look into the glass and white room, expecting to find another lab. Instead, I found myself standing less than ten feet away from the sadistic and strangely alluring man, Loki. He stood with his hands folded behind his back, and gave me an unnerving smile.

"Stay away from me," I warned in my most-threatening voice. His smile widened.

"Ah, but you see, it is _you_ that came to _me,_" he said, coming to the edge of the glass. I glanced towards the hallway where I came from, knowing I should leave now before anything bad happened. _But… that stone._

I looked back at him, seeing that he was now watching me with an amused look on his face. Even when he isn't smiling, his eyes appear to be filled with sardonic glee. I began playing with the edge of my shirt, giving me an excuse to look away from him.

I licked my lips nervously. "Who are you?" I asked without looking up. I already knew the answer, but I wanted to know more. I _needed_ to know more. If he has an infinity stone, there's a chance he knows Ronan, which means… I could see him again.

"It is not my name you seek," he said as he slowly strolled the confines of his cage.

"No," I agreed quietly. Loki once again stood near the edge of the glass and looked down at me, apparently pleased with himself for being right.

"Tell me what it is you wish to know," he said, watching me with amusement.

"Where did you get an infinity stone?" I asked, causing him to shift with surprise. He was no longer smirking.

"What does a Midgardian know about the infinity stones?" He asked quietly, now eyeing me more carefully.

"Answer my question first," I retorted heatedly. "And stop calling me Midgardian. I swear with you fucking aliens it's always Terran this or Midgardian that. My name is Silvia," I said, growing more annoyed by the second.

Loki's eyes narrowed halfway through my rant. "Terran," he said as if he were in deep thought. "Only a select few galaxies use that term, all of which I am familiar with…" he said, looking at me with suspicion.

"But none from these galaxies should have wandered here so far, unless…" he continued, though I didn't like where this conversation was going.

"Hold on," I interrupted, making Loki stop mid-sentence. "I asked you a question, now answer me," I ordered heatedly.

He grinned down at me, though his eyes were full of loathing. "Prepare to be disappointed for I do not have the answer to your question."

"You're lying," I responded immediately.

"And if I am, what of it?" He said with a taunting sneer. "Ah yes, you don't like that, do you? You're used to men groveling at your feet, begging to lick the ground you walk on, yet here I am refusing to answer a simple question."

I could feel my breath shaking because I was so angry. "Why won't you just tell me where you got it?" I asked more loudly.

"Because I despise your kind," he snarled, making me take a step back.

"My kind?" I asked. "You don't know anything about me," I scoffed. He stepped closer to the glass.

"I lived in a palace surrounded by women like you… all arrogant and conceited beyond measure. The difference is… their beauty will remain for thousands of years…but yours... yours will fade day by day before your eyes, until you are left an old maid with no one to admire you. I will enjoy that day when it comes," he said with a soft chuckle.

I didn't realize my eyes were watering until I blinked and a tear landed on my cheek. I quickly wiped it away, embarrassed that he was even capable of making me cry.

My voice trembled as I spoke. "I just wanted to know if–"

"You want answers, go search for them yourself, _human_," he said, turning away from me.

I stood there for several seconds in silence, suppressing my urge to scream at him.

"Fine, I will."

I left the cold chamber unaware of the pleased smile on Loki's face.

* * *

I had just managed to sneak back into my room when I heard a soft knock on the door. I quickly opened the door, surprised to see Tony standing in the hallway. He entered my room without asking and casually strolled around the room, inspecting my belongings.

"So it's been – what – two or three years since I last saw you?" He asked as he stopped to look at me.

"Umm… more like six," I said with a smile. "Though… I did run into you at a party last New Year's eve," I said, blushing as I remembered the night.

He nodded his head and looked down uncomfortably. "I've been meaning to apologize for that…"

"Don't, Tony. Please," I awkwardly muttered. "It was so long ago..."

"I thought Pepper locked the bathroom door. When she drinks… there's no stopping her," he said, shaking his head at the memory. I smiled awkwardly as I tried to block out the naked images of them inside my mind.

_I miss Ronan._

"It's... really no big deal. Everyone has their moments," I said in a sadder voice than I intended. Tony regrettably noticed and sat down on the edge of my bed.

"Listen, kid, I know we don't talk much, but I know you, and I know something's up. Shit, the entire world knows something's up. You've been different ever since you came back," he said in his unusually serious voice.

"Yeah… that… boat crash – "

"Hey," he said, pointing at me. "Don't bullshit a bullshitter." I sighed and sat down next to him.

"Come on, tell me," he said, rocking into me.

"I can't tell you here," I whispered, looking around the room.

"Follow me," he said, standing up. I followed him out the door and into the hallway, and continued following him until we were at the lab I saw him in earlier today.

"I thought I needed a security clearance," I said as we entered though the sliding, glass door

"Did I say that? I don't recall," he said in an amused tone.

As soon as we entered the chilly, white room, I felt a strange presence that made my skin crawl. I looked around the room until I found the origin of my unease: Loki's scepter. It was securely fastened to a table on two metal prongs, and surrounding it were various tools and instruments I'm sure Tony had been using earlier on it. I must have been staring at it for longer than I realized, because I heard Tony cough loudly once beside me, breaking me from my reverie.

"Weird, isn't it?" He asked, now looking at it as well.

"It's beautiful," I replied softly.

"Err – right. Well, let's get back to your juicy secret. What really happened? Don't worry. I've debugged the whole room," he said, coming to stand beside me.

"Well, I wasn't in a boat crash," I started. Tony immediately rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, no shit Sherlock," he sarcastically muttered.

I took a deep breath and decided to just go for it. "I was kidnapped by aliens." Tony blinked once and a few seconds later reached out to feel my forehead. I swatted his hand away annoyed.

"I'm not sick, and I'm not crazy. You wanted to know the truth, so now I'm telling you. Do you still want to know or not?" I asked tiredly.

Honestly, I wanted him to say yes because I had no one else to talk to about this except for my parents, and even with them, I couldn't tell them everything. They still didn't even know I was missing a hand and foot. It would be too much for them.

Tony nodded his head, for once unable to say anything smart.

"The aliens that kidnapped me sold me to some type of pimp… who I stabbed in the neck with a piece of broken mirror - don't worry, I escaped before anything happened to me," I reassured Tony who's eyes were now wide and alert.

"Long story short, I ended up with Ronan, who at first hated me, but then we grew to… like each other. I guess… more than like each other. He left me on his planet while he went off on some military mission, and the government there thought I was conspiring with him to overthrow their leader… and they imprisoned me. Mac-Varr… the man who took me…he did things to me," I said, stopping as I felt my throat tighten up. "Sorry, I've never talked about this to anyone."

"I'm… I'm here," Tony reassured me, looking at me with a worried expression. "Did he… rape you?" He asked reluctantly. I nodded my head softly, making Tony curse under his breath.

"I'm sorry, kid," he said as he rubbed my back to comfort me.

"He did more," I said as I took off my shoe. As I rolled down my sock, I watched Tony's eyes light up with amazement. "He took my right hand too, but I can't take these gloves off. Ronan did it for a reason…" I said, coming to a pause. I wondered if I should tell him the rest. He looked pale enough already.

_No. It can wait._

"Do you mind?" Tony asked, pointing to my foot.

"No, go ahead," I said, happy to change the subject. He bent down on one knee and began inspecting my foot, apparently mesmerized by it.

I could hear him muttering to himself, most likely taking mental notes of the foreign metal technology. I know that the hand and foot Ronan gave to me was far more advanced than anything here on Earth, and Tony undoubtedly knew this as well, so it really wasn't surprising to see him become so excited over it.

"I'll be right back," he said, jumping up to his feet. "I just need to get something from my room… for tests, you know," he mumbled before walking out the door.

"Well, fine…" I said, not having a say in the matter.

As soon as he left the room, my eyes once again rested on Loki's scepter. I found myself walking towards it, being drawn in by its strange aura, and feeling a desperate need to touch it. When I came within less than a foot of the golden scepter, my hands began tingling stronger than ever before. The glowing blue stone pulled me in with its unworldly beauty and power, forcing me closer until my fingertips were only centimeters away. I watched with fascination as the stone emitted a soft blue ribbon of energy, slowly twirling around my fingertips and up into the palm of my gloved hand. My eyes grew even wider when I saw a faint purple glow emit from my gloves, eventually forming its own purple ribbons of energy. It appeared as if the two stones were greeting one another. A few seconds later, I noticed the blue ribbons were beginning to travel further up my hand, towards the bare skin on my arm. I stepped away, but it only followed me. As soon as the swirling blue energy touched my forearm, I felt a feathery cool touch. It almost tickled. I stepped forward once again, only this time I grasped ahold of the scepter with both hands.

I watched as the stone's energy began covering my entire body, causing me to glow. This stone's power felt undeniably different as it soaked into my skin. With every second that passed, I could feel something forging inside of me, specifically in my hands. I felt physically stronger, and for some unexplainable reason, I no longer feared losing control of my powers. I couldn't recall ever feeling so calm before in my life. No amount of sedatives could bring about this type of…. euphoric… reassurance.

"Where are you, Ronan?" I heard myself whisper.

Out of nowhere, I felt a dark presence in the room. I tried to let go of the scepter, but my hands were forced closed around it. Everything suddenly became pitch-black, and the air around me grew heavy and cold. I tried to scream as I felt like I was being pulled and dropped in every direction, but my stomach remained clenched tight, making it hard for me to breathe. It was over in a matter of seconds. My eyes, which had remained closed during the whole ordeal, slowly opened up to find a troubling sight.

Stars.

There are stars everywhere.

I'm in the middle of fucking space.

With the scepter still in my hands, I looked around the strange place it brought me to, trying hard not to hyperventilate. I was standing on a large rock, surrounded by other rough, tall rocks which appeared to form some kind of island. As far as I could see, there weren't any planets nearby, though there was an annoyingly bright star to the left of me. I slowly walked around, careful not to venture too close to the edge of the giant rock. I came around the corner of a particularly jagged stalagmite and accidently scraped my arm along the side of it. After hissing and rubbing my tender arm, I looked up and found yet another surprising sight. In front of me were floating stone stairs that led to God-knows-where. As hard as I tried not to panic, I could definitely feel myself shaking from fear.

"Ronan?" I called out. No answer.

I gathered all of the courage in me and took a step towards the stairs.

"Who dares enter the domain of Thanos?" A shrew voice yelled behind me. I immediately turned around to find a cloaked man wearing a golden web of a mask, which covered most of his ugly, deformed face.

"Where did you get that scepter? Who are you? Speak, now!" He yelled, making me cringe. His teeth were stained a deep red. _Like blood._

"I'm…Silvia. I'm looking for Ronan," I meekly replied. As the man walked towards me, I noticed he was missing a hand, and the remaining one had two thumbs. I couldn't see his eyes, but I wasn't entirely sure I wanted to.

"The Terran," the man hissed as he came closer. "Thanos has been looking for you, child." I began slowly backing away from the frightening man up the stairs.

"Who is Thanos?" I asked as he followed me with a terrifying smile on his face. I stumbled slightly as I continued walking backwards. The man's smile grew even wider.

"Don't come any closer! I'm warning you!" I shouted desperately as I came to the top of the stairs.

_Please let this be a dream. Please wake up. _

_Wake up!_

I turned around to see a small open space, and in the middle was a throne hovering in the air, made of rocks. It was faced the other way so I couldn't see who was in it, but I could see they were wearing a large, golden helmet. The throne itself was huge, much larger than Ronan's, and that alone was terrifying.

"Wh-Who are you?" I managed to ask. I saw the man's head move slightly, but he didn't respond.

"Where am I?" I tried again. Still no response.

Seconds later the man with the mask emerged from the stairs and proceeded to walk over to the throne, standing to the right of the huge man.

"Ronan's human wench has appeared to us, master," he said. The throne slowly began turning, revealing a terrifyingly huge, purple man who's smile made my blood run cold.

"How convenient."

_Oh, no._

_Ronan, where are you?_

* * *

**Author's Note: Hey guys! I know it's been a while... hope I didn't keep you waiting too long ;) I would have updated sooner but the server was down so I was left helpless! I know I left you guys with a cliffhanger... but... that's what I do hahah I'm sorry. So, what do you think is going to happen? I'd love to hear all of your thoughts. Thanks again for the follows/favs/reviews. I love them and I read all of them and cherish each one! **


	19. Part II: Chapter 3

_**Chapter song: Ghost by August Eve **_

* * *

**Tony**

In his hands he carried all the tools necessary to run every possible diagnostics test on Silvia's foot. He didn't have to be a genius to believe her story after looking at the far-superior technology. Sure, she sounded crazy – probably, is – but hey, who wouldn't be after going through what she has? Besides, that beautifully designed piece of art attached to her leg could be the key to his next project, not to mention the _future_.

He was determining the amount of time it would take Jarvis to complete the diagnostics as he entered the lab, and proceeded to turn on almost every computer and scanner in the room. He noticed Silvia standing in the corner, gratefully remaining quiet while he concentrated on setting up his table. _At least she isn't crying_, he thought as he turned on the last of the scanners. Saving the world seemed easy in comparison to consoling Silvia. He wished he could do more to help her, but emotional issues – _eh, not my forte._ Just as he flipped the ON switch to his own personal video camera, he heard her mutter softly behind him, causing him to turn around.

Looking closer, he now noticed Silvia was holding Loki's scepter with both hands. _Shit!_

"Hey!" He shouted, running up to her. "Are you out of your mind?" He snapped as he placed himself in front of her. To his horror, Silvia's eyes were now glowing an unnaturally bright shade of blue, almost fluorescent. _Is this what happened to Barton? _He needed to act fast.

"What do you want with me?" She asked in a trembling voice, though her eyes remained focused on some unseen object, far off in the distance.

"Silvia, it's me Tony. Now… I need you to _let go_ of the scepter," he said as he held out his hands by his sides, waiting for the gloves of his suit.

"No, please don't," she gasped. "Please don't hurt him." Her voice sounded strained, as if she wanted to scream. The second his gloves finished assembling on his hands, he stepped forward and forced the scepter away from her, placing it back on the table.

He watched nervously as she fell forward onto her hands and knees, breathing as if she had been kicked in the stomach. As he kneeled down next to her, he immediately noticed her eyes were now back to their original blue color, and he exhaled loudly with relief.

"You scared me for a second," he said, breathing quickly.

She looked at him with surprise, as if she didn't expect to see him there. "How did I get back here?" She asked, glancing around anxiously.

"Uh," he hesitated, watching her closely. "You never left."

She looked down at her arm, rubbing it as if she were looking for something. It appeared perfectly fine to him. "I need to go," Silvia mumbled nervously. He grabbed ahold of her shoulders to keep her steady as she stood up.

"Jesus," he muttered. "I didn't think it was possible, but you look like shit. What did you see? Who were you talking to?" He asked curiously, pulling back the curtain of hair that hid her face. He felt genuinely stricken by the pain in her eyes.

"Shit," he sighed, standing up straight. He walked over to his desk. "You need a drink," he said as he pulled out a bottle of Macallan 25 from the metal drawer. _No, I need a drink, _he thought as he began filling a second glass_._ It would be impolite to make her drink such a fine whiskey alone, after all.

"I hope you like it straight –"

He heard the door close before he even finished pouring his drink. He caught a glimpse of her bright, blonde hair in the hallway before she disappeared around the corner, leaving him all alone.

"Fine," he said, holding up his glass. "More for me."

_Seriously though, what the hell did she see?_

* * *

**Silvia**

"It wasn't real. It wasn't real. It wasn't real," I whispered to myself. "You are on Earth. It was just a hallucination."

That broad, callous face of his had burned itself into my retinas, making it impossible for me to shut out that vicious, sadistic smile. He is the definition of pure evil.

_No. It wasn't real. He never touched me. I never heard that laugh. Oh, God. Ronan…_

I grabbed ahold of the sides of my head. "It wasn't real!" I cried.

"YOU! HALT!"

I looked up as two guards came running down the hall, both pointing their annoyingly bright flashlights directly in my face, nearly blinding me. Without hesitation, I sprinted in the opposite direction, looking for somewhere to hide. It was no problem for me to outrun the guards so long as Ronan's blood pumped through my veins. It didn't take me long to find a small crevice to tuck myself inside of. _Being petite has its advantages_, I thought as they blindly ran past me.

When I came out of hiding and stepped back into the dimly lit hall, I glanced around and caught myself standing directly in front of Loki's cell door. The chances of it being a coincidence didn't seem likely, so I did the only thing that felt right - I went inside. It didn't take long to dismantle the security system; in fact, it felt even easier the second time.

When I reached Loki's cell, he was already standing in the middle of his glass cage, as if he had anticipated company this evening. His face showed none of the amusement from earlier today, only contempt and annoyance.

"I am in no mood tonight for your questions," he stated seriously. "I thought I told – "

"What are you doing with Thanos?" I interrupted him, not wanting to waste time.

He glared at me with suspicion. "Who are you_, really_?" He asked, stepping up to the glass.

"I'm Silvia Alamanni. Now keep your voice down," I ordered quietly, looking around the dark room. Loki's face slowly relaxed into an expression of understanding. He glanced down at the floor and smirked before settling on my face once again.

"I assume SHIELD is unaware of our visits," he said in a knowing tone.

"I hope so," I honestly replied, causing Loki to chuckle.

"What's so funny?" I asked quietly.

"I'm surprised, is all," he said shrugging. "That rarely happens. I expected someone… bigger." I stood there staring at him, unable to hide my confusion. After a few seconds of eye contact, he shifted uncomfortably where he stood and took in a breath as if to speak, but stopped.

I found myself walking closer to him. "What?" I asked, unable to hide my curiosity.

"You were sent here by Thanos…" he said uncertainly, now visibly confused as well. I impulsively shivered at the thought of working for that monster.

"No," I immediately answered, shaking my head. "You work for _him_?" I asked, unable to hide the repulsion in my voice.

Loki remained quiet as he watched me, his expression unreadable. Just when I started to lose my patience, his frown unexpectedly transformed into a wide, open smile.

"You're _good_," he chuckled, taking a few steps backwards. "SHIELD is more informed than I previously imagined."

"Wait, what? I don't work for SHIELD... or anyone for that matter. Hey, listen to me!" I shouted angrily as Loki looked away, still smiling.

I walked up to the glass, placing my hands against the cold surface. "I don't have time for this! Tell me about Thanos!" I yelled as my eyes began watering against my will. Just then, I heard masculine voices echoing in the hallway of the entrance, causing me to gasp. I turned to look back at Loki who was still smiling smugly at me.

"Please," I whispered urgently. "I _need_ answers."

Loki held his hands out by his sides. "Don't we all, Silvia? Or do you prefer _agent _Alamanni_?_" He sneered, stepping backwards as the guards came rushing into the cell.

"No, you don't understand! I'm not a SHIELD agent! Please!" I yelled as the guards took ahold of both my arms. Loki's smile vanished as the guards began dragging me backwards towards the exit. He walked along the side of his glass cage, watching me closely as I struggled against the guards.

Although I could have easily used my powers to harm them, I somehow managed to restrain myself.

"Why is he trying to kill us? Is that why you're here?" I screamed, hatred writhing in my voice. Loki stopped and eyed me cautiously.

"Let go of me!" I shouted angrily as the guards took ahold of my arms and legs, forcing me horizontally into the air. There was nothing else I could do but holler with frustration as the guards forcibly carried me away down the hall.

"If you've hurt him, I'll kill you! I will fucking kill you!" I screamed with rage, making it impossible for Loki not to hear me.

* * *

"Miss Alamanni, we are very disappointed by your actions," Agent Coulson stated across from me. I placed my hands on the metal table that separated us and eyed the handcuffs around my gloved wrists.

"Trespassing on federal property is a serious crime. We are willing to overlook your transgresses if you cooperate with us," he said in an irritatingly nice voice.

"I want these off, and I want out of this room," I said, glaring at him.

"I understand your discomfort, but you are being detained for questioning. Seeing as how you managed to dislocate three of my guard's shoulders, I think it would be best to keep them on," he replied calmly.

I smiled softly. "I won't be here long."

"We'll see about that," he said, smiling back. Only a few seconds later, someone knocked on the door, but Coulson appeared unphased by the interruption.

I frowned when I saw the woman from the jet walk through the door. Her short, red hair bounced softly as she walked over to my side of the table. I shifted uncomfortably in my chair as she stopped within a foot of me and leaned backwards against the metal table. My eyes couldn't help but wander across her curvy figure, because it was impossible to ignore in her black, skin-tight uniform. I quickly looked back up at her face to catch her smiling at me in a playful manner, making me blush with embarrassment.

"Guess who gets to go home…" She stated sarcastically as she leaned in closer. "Lucky girl."

I glanced at Coulson whose face remained unmoving, but his eyes hardened with dissatisfaction. I couldn't help but smile at him as the woman removed the handcuffs from my wrists. Just before I was about to leave the holding room, agent Coulson abruptly stood up from the table and turned to face me.

"Your father can't protect you forever, Silvia. The truth will come out eventually, and one day, you're going to need our help," he said with a serious face.

I eyed him with distaste, remembering the photographs SHIELD took of me. "I doubt it," I answered coldly, leaving the two of them alone.

"Don't worry, Phil. She'll slip," Natasha stated confidently next to him.

"I know. That's what I'm worried about," he replied uneasily.

* * *

By the time I reached my parent's house I was both physically and emotionally exhausted. I entered the backdoor, knowing it would be the best route to avoid my parents. I ran through the kitchen and to the security system located next to the pantry, successfully entering the code before the alarm went off. With a sigh of relief, I leaned against the wall and began to relax, only to hear my parents stomping down the stairs seconds later.

"Silvia!" My mother called out. I groaned quietly and stepped inside the food pantry, surprised to see Mindy's famous, dark-chocolate brownies just waiting for me. I sadly began stuffing my mouth with the decadent dessert, trying to momentarily forget about my parent's appearance and the unavoidable lecture they were bound to give me.

The lights to the kitchen turned on as I finished my third brownie. "Silvia, get _out_ of the pantry," my father ordered. I sighed dramatically and bowed my head.

When I came out of hiding, the two of them were standing with their arms crossed, side by side. I could have laughed at how ridiculous they appeared if it weren't for the disappointed look in my mother's eyes.

My father scowled. "Do you understand the position you've put me in, Silvia? How many favors I had to make to see that your charges were dropped? I can't have my daughter assaulting federal agents and trespassing – are you even listening? The election is in less than a month…" he muttered, shaking his head with annoyance.

"I'm sorry… _honestly_, I am. I didn't hurt those men intentionally," I mumbled, sitting down at the kitchen bar. My mother came and sat down next to me, placing her hand on my shoulder as she did so.

"Silvia, we're very worried about you. Please sweetie, don't take this the wrong way, but do you think your recent behavior is related to the changes in your… blood?" She asked reluctantly. I stared at her, unable to give her an answer.

She smoothed the hair on the back of my head and smiled reassuringly. "Have you talked to any of your friends since you've been home?" She asked softly.

I shook my head no. "You don't understand… I don't care about _this,_" I said, looking around the kitchen. "Not anymore."

"You don't care about our family legacy?" My mother asked sadly.

I glanced between the two and swallowed nervously.

My father stepped forward. "What are you trying to say, Silvia?"

"I don't want the family business," I blurted out. "Or a career in politics." Both my parents looked at each other, seemingly stricken by the news. I straightened myself up, feeling as if a heavy weight had been lifted off my shoulders. "The truth is… I'm probably not going to be here much longer."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" My father grumbled. "Are you thinking of doing something to yourself, Silvia?" He asked more seriously.

I groaned loudly with frustration. "No, I just mean… Ronan said he was going to come back–"

My father slammed his fist down. "If you think I'm going to allow my daughter to run off with some _freak_ alien then–"

"Allow me? I'm not a child anymore! And in case you've already forgotten, I'm _half _freak alien, so thanks a lot, Dad!" I snapped angrily back at him. I took a deep breath and looked at my mother who was now beginning to cry.

"I'm sorry, but I can't keep living like this anymore. The parties… the banquets… the endless charades. I don't want this life. And I sure as hell didn't sign up to be First Daughter," I said, looking at my father.

He shook his head disappointedly at me. "I expected more from you," he sighed.

"Maybe that's the problem," I answered honestly, making both of them quiet.

After a few minutes of tense silence, I stood up from my bar stool and looked down at the floor.

"I love you both so much, but it's time I move out," I said, wiping my eyes sadly.

"No," my mother cried. "No, you're staying here. I'm not losing you. Not again," she said tearfully.

"It's not your choice to make," I said, looking down. "Besides, you can always come visit me."

My father placed his arm around my mother's shoulders to comfort her. "You don't have the financial means to live on your own, Silvia," he said in a tired voice.

"Actually, I do," I replied, causing both of them to gawk at me with surprise. "When I was sixteen I opened a private bank account. I don't know why I didn't tell you," I said, suddenly feeling ashamed for keeping it a secret. "So for the past six years, my percentage of the company's profits has been accumulating in it…"

"Jesus," my father muttered angrily as my mother covered her face with her hands. "But that's millions…"

"Billions, actually," I corrected him in a sharp tone. "You two seriously don't even know how much I make? You know what - forget it," I grumbled, walking towards the backdoor. "I'll have Henry ship my things to the St. Regis," I added quietly.

"New York," my mother whined unhappily. "But that's so far away!"

I shrugged my shoulders. "My only friend lives there," I answered, thinking of Tony. He's the only person I've actually been able to talk to about what happened to me. I didn't trust anyone else at the moment, especially my so-called friends here who profited off of my disappearance and enjoyed their fifteen minutes of fame. For all I know, my own father may have used the publicity to benefit his campaign and win more votes.

* * *

I arrived in New York City jet-lagged, hungry, and oddly excited. I never imagined wanting to live in such a busy, crowded city, but the tall, metallic skyscrapers and beautiful architecture filled me with comfort. I felt oddly connected to Ronan by being here. Even _he_ could admire this marvelous, modern city – minus the corruption, waste problem, and abundance of homeless people.

_Whatever, at least we have trees._

The hotel doorman opened my limousine door and smiled cheerfully. "Welcome, Miss Alamanni. We've been expecting you," he said, holding out his hand for me. "We've prepared the Presidential suite to your liking, complete with your favorite bottle of champagne and chocolates," he said as he opened the lobby door. I looked down at my casual attire, suddenly feeling like a bum in the elegant lobby.

_Thanks a lot SHIELD. _

"I've been informed your belongings will arrive within the hour," he said reassuringly as he handed me the room key.

"Thank you," I said, quickly heading towards the elevator.

Later that afternoon, after a much-needed nap and lunch in bed, I made my way to the hotel salon to join my real estate agent, Kyle, for afternoon tea. As I expected, he was early and already waiting at a table for me, ready for business.

"Wait, you want me to find a two-story, rooftop penthouse _today_?" He asked with astonishment.

I took a bite of my cucumber sandwich and nodded. "Yes, and I want it to be next to Stark Tower," I added casually.

Kyle rubbed his forehead, apparently shocked by my demands. "How hard could it be?" I asked before taking a sip of my tea.

"Honey, it's nearly impossible," he answered, shaking his head. "The only rooftop penthouse even close by is already occupied," he said disappointedly.

I glanced up from the table and spotted a quartet of well-dressed men and women enter the salon. I turned back to face Kyle as the hostess guided the group to our table.

"Kyle, you're the best of the best. That's why I hired you. I know you can get it done," I said with a smile.

He laughed nervously before noticing the group heading our way. "Are you expecting company?" He asked, placing down his tea cup.

"It's the team I hired for the renovation," I answered, standing up to greet them.

The first man to approach me was wearing a black designer suit, complete with a matching purple tie and handkerchief. "Hello, Miss Alamanni. I am Pierre, the interior designer," he said, kissing each of my cheeks. He then introduced me to the rest of his team. After a lengthy round of la bise, we crowded around the table and conducted business over tea.

For nearly half an hour I described in as much detail as possible what I wanted and needed in my new home. By the time I was finished, everyone had pages of notes and sketches in their tablets and notepads.

"So, you're serious then?" Kyle asked suddenly, causing everyone to look at him. I glanced around the group of people, noticing the stressed looks on all of their faces.

"A week seems reasonable to me," I insisted, taking a bite of my petit four.

Pierre cleared his throat quietly. "The amount of time, labor, and resources needed to complete your home is… considerable," he said quietly. "This is some high tech equipment you're describing."

"Not to mention the place isn't even on the market," Kyle chirped in smartly. "There are at least three families living on the top floor…"

"Everyone has a price," I replied smoothly. "I don't care if you have to triple the market value. Make them offers they can't refuse. Don't come back to me empty handed, Kyle," I said more seriously. He raised his eyebrows at me and nodded his head.

"Well, yes ma'am," he said, standing up from the table. "I'll start preparing the papers." As I watched him leave, I felt pleased to see him begin an excited conversation on the phone. The commission he'll make off this project alone is probably more than he'll make in a life time. _He should be excited_, I thought with a smile.

I looked back at Pierre, and quickly noticed the impressed look on his face. "I know what I want," I said, shrugging my shoulders.

"And she wants it now," he said, infecting me with his smile.

"Yes, I do," I agreed. "So, the same applies for you and your team. Do what you must. Bring in whoever… whatever… just get it done. Money isn't an issue," I said before sipping my tea. Pierre smiled and looked at his colleagues, who were also looking quite pleased at the moment.

"So, I trust you can have this done in a week?" I asked nicely.

"Miss Alamanni, for you, I will have it done in _less_ than a week," he said with bright eyes.

I smiled and reached for another cake.

_Everyone has a price._

* * *

It was late in the afternoon and the sun was shining abnormally bright, blinding those who chose not to wear sunglasses today. After three days of being cooped up in the hotel, I decided to venture out into the real world and explore the city I now called home. Disguised in my oversized sunglasses and baseball cap, I was unrecognizable to any pedestrian or paparazzi. I smiled cheerfully at the feeling of normalcy and stopped at a charming, bustling café on a corner of Park Avenue.

I was sitting quietly enjoying my café au lait when I overheard two women talking next to me.

"I barely slept last night because of the noise," one of the women complained.

"Oh, I know!" The other woman replied. "Isn't there a law that prohibits construction past a certain time…?"

"Well, apparently the law doesn't apply to you when you're a billionaire," the first woman answered bitterly.

"I take it you aren't voting for Alamanni?" Her friend asked sarcastically.

"Oh, no I am. The other candidate is an _idiot._ At least Alamanni has a brain," the woman answered tiredly.

I continued my casual walk down Park Avenue until I came across a small, disgruntled crowd forming on the street. It wasn't until I came closer that I realized everyone was looking upwards, all apparently mesmerized by the construction occurring in my new building.

"They've been at it day and night for nearly three days," I heard one old man grumble.

"Who's moving in?" A young woman asked.

"I heard it's the President's daughter, Silvia Alamanni," a teenage girl answered excitedly.

"Hey, he hasn't won the election yet," her dad cut in.

"No, but he will," the young woman replied with a smile.

"What on God's earth could they be doing up there?" I heard another man ask as I began walking away.

_Many, many things._

I wiped the sweat off my brow as I approached Stark Tower only two, short blocks away. There was a large crowd of tourists hovering in front of the building, all equipped with "I Love NYC" shirts and selfie-sticks. As I walked past the barricade, I noticed several people stop what they were doing to stare at me.

When I reached the front entrance, a man dressed in a black military uniform stepped outside and prevented me from entering the building.

"Umm, hi?" I asked, coming to a halt.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave the premises. Mr. Stark says the building is closed to civilians this week," he ordered calmly.

"Oh, but I'm Silvia Alamanni," I said smiling. "He wasn't talking about me."

"It's closed to _all_ civilians," he said with a hint of irritation.

"Can you just check, please?" I asked nicely. The guard rolled his eyes and sighed before pressing on the intercom on his head piece.

"I have a Silvia Alamanni here asking for Mr. Stark," he said into the microphone, though I sensed it was just an act. He shook his head and looked back at me, obviously annoyed by my persistence.

"Like I said ma'am, the building is closed to everyone," he said before turning and leaving me standing there with my mouth hanging open.

_What the hell?_

I pulled out my cell phone and dialed Tony's number, but the line went straight to voicemail. I growled with annoyance and hung up, now pissed off that my only friend in town was refusing to let me inside his building. I needed to find Loki's glowing, stick thing and figure out why that horrible man, Thanos, is trying to kill Ronan and me. I tried calling Tony again, but still no luck. I threw my head back in annoyance and sighed before deciding to return to the hotel.

When I reached the crosswalk, I turned and glanced at Stark Tower one last time. In one of the windows, several stories up, I noticed a pale face watching me. _Tony?_ My concentration was abruptly interrupted as a scrawny, elderly woman shoved into my shoulder.

"Quit blocking the crosswalk!" She yelled as she pushed past me. "Damn tourists…"

I looked back at the window, but the pale face was no longer there.

* * *

As promised, my penthouse was complete in less than a week. I had my own private entrance into the building, as well as my own elevator and staff. After a lengthy argument on the phone, my parents allowed me to hire Mindy from them, but not Henry, so I was forced to find a butler. Well, technically I had my publicist find me one. She somehow managed to find "the perfect man for the job" in only two days. I trusted her judgement, so I didn't ask any questions; though, I probably should have at least asked what his name is…

_Guess I'll find out soon enough_, I thought as the elevator reached my floor. I could feel my chest tighten with excitement and worry as I came closer to my new home. I hadn't anticipated becoming so anxious over a damn penthouse. I wiped my sweaty palm on my pants as I stepped through the elevator doors and into the dark, elegant foyer.

I didn't know whether to smile or cry as I stood in the entrance, because everything about it reminded me of Ronan. The beautiful, black marble floors and grey slate walls split into three hallways that led to the main sections of the house. Since I hadn't fully remembered the house plans, I had no idea where anything was.

"Welcome, Miss Alamanni," a female voice announced over the speakers. It was Karen, my own personal, computerized home system.

Tony designed it for my family years ago, modeling it after Jarvis, but my parents never showed any interest in using it. They were too old fashioned for "unnecessary technology" as they called it.

"Hi, Karen. Call me Silvia," I said as I began walking down the middle hallway.

"As you wish, Silvia. How may I be of assistance?" She asked.

"Do you have a map I could use?" I asked sarcastically.

"Yes, of course. One moment please," she answered.

Much to my surprise, a projection of my home's floor plans appeared on the wall next to me. I could see that I was heading towards the indoor pool and spa area. The right hallway led to the servants quarters, several storage units, and my own personal armory.

After meeting Thanos, I supplied myself with a multitude of powerful, military grade weapons as well as a safe room. I wasn't willing to let myself become vulnerable, especially when nut jobs like Loki were randomly showing up on Earth.

The left hallway led to the main living area of the house, as well as the outdoor patio and stairs to the roof. I decided to venture in that direction first. The hallway opened up into a massive living room that had a small loft with a spiral staircase. The kitchen was closed off, but you could still see into it through the wide, wooden archway. I wanted the living room and kitchen to resemble our French vacation home, the Villa Marie, so I had dark, mahogany floors and white stucco walls placed here instead of the usual dark interior found in the rest of the house. The exterior wall of the living room was made of thick, bullet-proof glass so I had a great view of the city, an abundance of natural light, and tons of privacy as well because I was so high up.

The master suite was nearly identical to Ronan's chamber on the Dark Aster, only it was bigger and had a window on the ceiling, so I could fall asleep looking up at the stars. The California king size bed was fitted with grey and white blankets, which matched the large, white chaise lounge in the corner. What surprised me the most was seeing how closely the carved, wooden walls resembled the ancient Kree symbols I had seen throughout Ronan's ship and home. A renowned sculptor was brought in to create the beautiful, dark-stained walls, and after seeing his work, I could understand his outrageous hourly rate.

_Ronan would love this_, I thought as I ran my hands across the soft, dark wood and smiled sadly to myself.

I spent the rest of the day wandering around my home and familiarizing myself with the layout. I knew after seeing the outdoor patio and rooftop terrace, that I would probably be spending the majority of my time there. I couldn't help but smile as I looked outside. The patio was artfully landscaped with lush grass, vibrant plants, and flowing green vines which fell over the glass railing.

Just outside the wide, French doors of the living room, I happily found a square, cement fire pit and benches large enough to seat at least twenty people. Next to the fire pit was a grilling station that had a private door to the kitchen so Mindy, my chef, had easy access when she cooked her mouth-watering barbeque. Close by were the custom built metal stairs that led to the rooftop terrace.

As soon as I reached the top of the stairs, I couldn't help but laugh with excitement. It wasn't the single, Olympic-length lap pool or connecting hot tub that made me so thrilled though, it was the multi-million dollar dome telescope. By this time, it was nearing sunset and I could already see the moon rising in the sky.

I ran over to the fifteen foot dome and stepped inside, quickly lying down in the black, leather recliner underneath the telescope. Half an hour later I could clearly see the twinkling stars far off in the distance and a bright, shining Venus. At times I caught myself looking for Ronan's ship in the sky, but I knew he was probably far beyond the reach of my telescope.

I wasn't sure how long I had been in there, but a knock on the door startled me so badly I screamed.

"I'm sorry to have startled you, Miss Alamanni," I heard a deep, masculine voice announce outside the door.

"Um, who are you?" I asked, reluctant to step outside.

"I'm Vernon, your new butler," he answered calmly. I opened the door and found a tall, Caucasian man smiling politely down at me. He had thick, blonde hair that was neatly combed back, and he was wearing the typical black suit and tie of a butler. One of his most prominent features, besides his gorgeous blue eyes, was his strong, square jaw. That, combined with his height, made him one of the most intimidating butlers I have ever seen.

"How old are you again, if you don't mind me asking?" I asked as I looked him up and down. "You look kind of young to be a butler," I said unsurely.

"I am thirty-five years old. I can assure you I have ample experience," he stated confidently.

"Well, I believe you. Katherine obviously thought you were qualified and trustable," I said, suppressing a sigh. "Honestly, I just need someone to keep my life from falling apart," I joked tiredly.

"That is what I am here for, Miss Alamanni," he replied in a serious tone.

"Please, call me Silvia," I said. "I assume you signed your contract and have gone over the… umm details?" I awkwardly inquired. _I can't have the public knowing I have glowing purple eyes and a metal hand and foot, after all._

"Yes. Your secrets are safe with me, Silvia," he said with a soft nod.

"Good. Well, that's settled then," I said, now turning to face Stark Tower. "Hey, will you contact Tony Stark for me? It's urgent and he's not answering my calls," I said with a sigh.

"Of course. I will get started on that right away," he replied.

"Thanks. It's Vernon, right?" I asked, embarrassed that I already forgot his name. He smiled and nodded once. "Sorry. My brain is all over the place," I muttered as I walked over to the pool and stared into the blue water.

"Would you like me to retrieve your swim suit?" He asked behind me.

I smiled. "No, I don't think so. I'll be down later. I don't want to be disturbed for the rest of the night, OK?" I said in my nicest voice.

"Yes, ma'am, I understand. I will contact Mr. Stark first thing in the morning," he said with a bow before leaving.

"Thank you, Vernon," I said as I watched him walk down the stairs. As soon as I was alone, I began stripping all of my clothes off, leaving them in a pile by the pool ladder. I gladly removed the irritating blue contacts from my eyes as well.

"Karen, play me something… classical," I announced as I stepped closer to the edge of the water. Almost instantly Mozart's Requiem began playing through the speakers, filling the air with the dramatic, alluring melody.

"Lights, please," I added as I stepped onto the diving platform. The lights inside the pool turned on, as well as the surrounding lights on the terrace, making the entire rooftop glow with pale blue light.

Just as the choir began singing, I dived perfectly into the water, barely causing a ripple on the surface. I began swimming freestyle, following the line painted on the bottom of the pool. I was glad no one was here to see me, because I knew I was swimming at a humanly impossible pace – not to mention the fact that I was naked.

_I love living alone._

Out of curiosity, I submerged my head under water to find out how long I could swim without air. The salt water had no effect on my eyes; in fact, for a second it actually felt soothing. When I reached three minutes I stopped keeping count, and let myself get lost in Mozart's masterpiece.

"_Hello Silvia." _I suddenly heard inside my head.

_That voice. I know that voice… but from where?_

I stopped in the middle of the pool and immediately resurfaced, expecting to find a man lurking around the pool. With my arms wrapped tightly around my body, I nervously spun around in a circle, searching for the voice. The air around me was thick with steam from the heated pool, putting me at a disadvantage. Seconds passed, but nothing happened. There was no one. No voice.

_Am I losing my mind? _

"Karen, am I alone right now?" I asked quietly.

"Yes," she answered, several nerve-wracking seconds later. "Your heat signature is the only one I am detecting at the moment. If you feel threatened I can alert the authorities. Shall I proceed to initiate code RED?" She asked in her monotone voice.

"No... it's fine. Continue the music," I said, looking around one more time. For some reason I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched.

I hesitantly began swimming again, this time much slower than before and with my head above water. After another dozen laps, I allowed myself to relax and decided I really must be losing my mind. Again, I submerged underneath the warm water and felt my thoughts slowly disappear.

"_What a delectable sight."_

I quickly popped my head above the water, nervously spinning around as I did so.

_Someone is here. I can feel it._

"Karen, code RED," I called out breathily. There was no response.

"Karen? I said code RED!" I shouted more loudly, feeling a sudden rush of adrenaline. Without another second of delay, I swam towards the pool ladder at a terrifying speed, hoping to make it out before the mysterious voice appeared again.

Just as my hand gripped onto the metal ladder, I heard a mischievous laugh behind me. I couldn't help but yelp with surprise and turn to face the noise. My blood chilled over when I saw who was standing on the opposite side of the pool.

_Loki._

"Shit," I gasped, turning back around to climb up the ladder.

As soon as my foot made contact with the grass-covered ground, Loki suddenly appeared in front of me, causing me to fall backwards into the water with shock. When I resurfaced, I swam to the opposite side of the pool, but again, Loki was waiting for me. I frantically swam to the middle of the pool to get away from him and felt myself begin to panic. All the while, I can see and hear Loki laughing at my attempts to get away from him. My stomach clenched with fear as I witnessed four different Loki's suddenly appear on each side of the pool. I took a deep breath, preparing to scream for help, but when I opened my mouth, no noise escaped. All that could be heard was the chilling chorus of Mozart and Loki's entertained laughs.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" He asked, placing a hand to his ear.

I looked to each Loki, trying to determine which one was the living, breathing version, but I couldn't tell them apart. Knowing that I would remain helpless in the water, I decided to make a dash for it and choose randomly as I go.

I swam to the right and hastily pulled myself up from the water, ducking down as he reached out to grab me. Much to my relief, it was only a hologram. I continued sprinting forward, all the while holding my breasts tightly against me with one arm. Again, I tried calling out for help, but there was literally no sound coming out of my throat. I couldn't even hear myself breathing. _What the fuck is happening to me?_

Just as I came within ten yards of the staircase, another Loki stepped directly into my path. Thinking that it was only another illusion, I continued running forward only to find myself roughly being jerked backwards by my free arm. He held tightly onto my arm, holding me still as I screamed and shouted in silence.

"Let go of me!" I screamed desperately as I released my other arm to fight him. He quickly grabbed it and pinned it behind my back. His smile widened slightly as he looked down, but he wasn't staring at my exposed chest – he was staring at my metal foot.

"You're strong," he said, raising his eyebrows. "But I am stronger," he stated more coolly as he forcefully pushed my arms upwards. I hollered with pain as my shoulders threatened to pop out of place.

"Ahh-stop!" I cried out, though I knew he couldn't hear me.

"I must admit, your silence is a little unnerving," he sarcastically replied. I stared up at him, grimacing with disgust.

"Why do I always run into fucking psychopaths," I muttered resentfully as I continued struggling against him. Loki's smile hardened before he pushed upwards on my arm, causing me to curse with pain.

_Shit, I guess he heard that._

"You guess right," he sneered, pulling me tightly against him. He was so close to my face I could feel his minty, cool breath on my cheeks. "If I'm correct - which I am most of the time - your eyes appear to have changed color," he quietly observed. I leaned away uncomfortably, not enjoying our close proximity.

"I'm warning you," I said in a strained, breathy voice, "let go or I'll hurt you." Loki chuckled darkly as his grip tightened around my wrists.

"I'm afraid you have that last part backwards," he sneered. He held his right hand out by his side, and just like magic, his golden scepter slowly appeared from thin air.

"Shhh," he cooed as he felt me tremble, "it will be over soon."

I closed my eyes and allowed the dark, boiling energy buried deep within me to come to the surface. The familiar sensation took only seconds to spread from my lower spine and up into my arms, instantly making me feel ten times hotter. The second my hand began to tingle, I saw Loki's eyes flicker with shock before he roughly pushed me away from him. I fell backwards onto the grass and began frantically crawling backwards away from him.

"Karen, code RED! Someone fucking help me!" I screamed as he charged at me with his scepter.

"What are you?" He snarled, placing the blade against my neck. When I didn't answer him, he pushed down harder, drawing blood from the thin skin. "Answer me," he seethed.

"I'm a... woman," I replied honestly, not knowing the true answer. I winced at the sharp sting of his blade as it sliced through the first few layers of skin. The blue, glowing stone which was now only centimeters away from my face began glowing even brighter. My fingers - even the artificial ones- began trembling as I remembered what happened the last time I came into contact with the stone. If he didn't move his scepter away within the next few seconds, I might return to that horrible man named Thanos.

_No. I can't go back there._

"Get it away from me," I whispered fearfully. Loki's brow furrowed with confusion as he watched me become increasingly terrified by the second. Just as I feared, I began feeling the familiar cold energy of the stone begin to spread across my face, and I consequently lost my cool.

"GET IT AWAY!" I screamed, jutting my hands out in front of me. I heard Loki grunt with pain as he was violently thrown backwards into the air from my single blast of energy. My hands, which were now glowing purple, shook violently with fear as I watched Loki pull himself up from the ground. Never before have I seen anyone look as shocked as he did now.

I held my hands out in front of me in a protective manner. "I warned you," I said, shaking from exertion.

He shook his head with disbelief. "Who sent you? Why are you following me?" He demanded with wide eyes.

"No one sent me! And why would I be following you? I don't even fucking know you! You're the one in MY house," I retorted, walking backwards as he advanced towards me.

He stopped and stared at me skeptically. "Do you truly expect me to believe our meeting to be mere coincidence?" He asked, pointing at my hands with his sceptor. "You possess magic far beyond this realm - power that does not belong in the hands of a _human_," he said with maddened eyes. "Tell me… if not a daughter of Thanos or an agent of SHIELD… then why do you appear to me?" He asked, shaking his head.

"I'm not _appearing_ to you… and I thought SHIELD captured you," I whispered uneasily as I thought of Tony. "What did you do to them? Where's Tony?" I asked, straightening my hands out in a threatening manner.

_Did he kill him?_

Loki chuckled. "No, I did not kill _the Iron Man_," he said in a mocking tone. "Though, I cannot say the same for the beast who stood beside him," he said, laughing darkly. I shook my head with confusion, not understanding what was coming out of his mouth.

"Beast? What are you TALKING about?" I angrily snapped as I began shivering from the cool, misty air. Loki glanced downwards at my body, causing me to wrap my arms around my torso in a protective manner. If I had blinked, I would have missed the left corner of his lip twitch ever so slightly. With lazy eyes, he waived his long, golden scepter into the air and produced a flowing, green cloak which fell across my shoulders. I held tightly onto the satin-like cloth and covered my body with it, all the while watching him cautiously as he lowered his weapon to the ground.

"It appears we both are in need of answers. We could assist one another in more way than one," he said more seriously, though his eyes still glimmered with some unknown joke.

"You know I don't trust you," I muttered, unable to hide my dislike.

Loki smiled softly. "I would consider you a fool if you did," he said, walking towards me.

_Why isn't he trying to kill me? Isn't that why he's here?_

"My mission is far greater than an assassination," he said resentfully. "Though… I _did_ plan on killing you tonight," he said in an abnormally casual tone. I grimaced with unease as I realized he once again read my mind.

"I'll admit, I jumped to conclusions," he said with a playful smile, "but I can see now you intend me no harm, unless of course I provoke you," he said in a jeering tone as he continued to approach me.

He stopped a few yards away from me. "Tell me about this _Ronan_ who you so often think about. I'm really quite intrigued," he said, narrowing his eyes.

I shifted uncomfortably and shivered as he infiltrated my mind once again. "You _really_ need to stop doing that," I whispered nervously, causing him to smile darkly.

A moment of silence passed as we eyed each other judgingly.

"So… you know magic?" I asked, unable to withstand my curiosity.

Loki's eyes shined with delight.

"Yes. Quite well, actually."

* * *

**Ronan**

Sleep was not a luxury he could afford these days. After the uprising in Kree-Lar, dozens of other cities erupted into chaos as well, sending the Kree Empire into a downward spiral of destruction. Weeks had passed since the first day of the revolution, and ever since, a new battle appeared to emerge with every sunrise. The amount of destruction had yet to be determined, but he predicted it would take centuries to fully recover from this dark period of Kree history. Never before has he seen his people suffer as they did now.

Thousands of years of Skrull and Xandarian war combined could not compare to the turmoil his nation felt at this moment. After Hal-Dan fled the capital and revealed himself to be a wretched coward, many of his followers ceased their fighting and surrendered to Ronan's forces. The Kree lacked leadership, and now many called upon Ronan to take Hal-Dan's position as the Kree's Emperor. He could not say he was opposed to the idea. After centuries of serving as Supreme Accuser, he believed himself capable of leading the Kree to a brighter, more promising future.

Despite the Supreme Intelligence declaring Ronan a traitor, millions rallied for his cause and supported his leadership, so he was not alone in his thoughts. It pained him tremendously to watch his empire be torn apart by civil war. He did not regret his decision to rage war against Hal-Dan on Hala; however, he did regret the suffering he inadvertently caused to his people. If he had known what would happen…

_No. Do not regret. Do not look back. _

_Only fools and idle dreamers contemplate the past. _

It is more apparent now than ever before that change was inevitable. A single battle should not have had such a tremendous impact unless the empire itself was already weak and rotting from within. The amount of filth and corruption that plagued them would at last be eradicated, and only then could his people start anew. Difficult times lied ahead, but he would see to it that the Kree emerged stronger than ever before.

The Inhumans proved to be a cooperative ally, much to his surprise and satisfaction. The normally self-righteous, stubborn race accepted his alliance without much difficulty, though a few of their terms might soon prove to be challenging. In the past, all attempts to broker an agreement between the two governments inevitably failed due to weak leadership and misplaced prejudices. Ronan, however, was willing to put aside the past and develop a relationship with the mutant race. There was no denying he was in desperate need of a strong and willing ally. The Sakaraans were large in number, but lacked the strength and spirit necessary to win great battles. After learning of the Chitauri's sudden increase in military activity, he felt it necessary to strengthen his defenses in any way possible. He knew it was only a matter of time before Thanos sent those vile creatures to do his bidding, and when that time came, he would be ready for them.

It was late in the evening and once again he found himself sitting on the edge of his bed, incapable of falling asleep. There was no solace to be found here anymore. The Dark Aster, once his pride and glory, now haunted him with the ghosts of his past. Despite the amount of chaos constantly occurring around him, his thoughts never failed to wander towards a particular blonde. _Silvia._ Not a day went by when he did not think of her. It was beyond frustrating to have become attached to a _Terran_ of all species, but he could no longer evade the truth. He deeply cared for her, and though he longed to be by her side, he knew this was no longer an option; at least not for the time being.

Though he could not physically be next to her, this did not prevent him from tracking her movements. One of his few trusted comrades resided on Terra, and he knew Silvia would be safe under his watch. After several aggravating weeks of silence, he finally received confirmation that he had successfully infiltrated her exclusive team of confidants. He squeezed the tiny projection chip in his hand, wishing it to be filled with images of Silvia and her sweet, melodious voice. She was the bright, shining star in his galaxy, and without her, he was nothing but dark, void space.

Despite his yearning to see and hear her once again, he knew it was best they did not communicate with one another. Alas, Silvia could not know about his comrade or their ability to communicate with one another. He knew without a doubt she would attempt to speak with him, and if the message was intercepted or misplaced, her whereabouts would become known. He could not risk endangering her life for such weak, selfish desires.

He placed the chip on the ground and watched the life-size hologram of his friend appear in the middle of his chamber.

"Greetings, Ronan. I apologize for the delay. It proved to be quite difficult to infiltrate the Terran's life. Her father is an extremely important political figure on Terra, which made it all the more complicated and dangerous to get involved. However, I successfully landed a position which allows me to constantly remain at her side. I can assure you, I will keep her safe and protect her with my own life if need be – though, I am certain with her father's heavily guarded team, my interference will be unnecessary. I will remain undercover as you requested and continue to contact you at least once a week. There is a development I believe you should be informed of: Loki, the Asgardian we have often heard about, has made an appearance on Terra, though his intentions remain unclear. Rest assured, the Terran's new home is equipped with a special room even _you_ would have a hard time breaking into. She is healthy, strong, and just as clever as you described her. I will keep an eye on her. Do not worry my old friend. May you bring glory, prosperity, and peace to the Kree once again."

Ronan sighed with relief.

_Thank you, Verr-Non._

* * *

**Author's Note: Wow! I can't believe it's been so long since I've updated. I'm so sorry everyone! :( I hate keeping you guys waiting for that long. I've been working a lot on my book so that's kept me busy, busy, busy. I really appreciate the reviews and PMs I've been getting... Seriously. You guys are THE BEST and I love each and every one of you. So... what did you think? Loki and Silvia are getting acquainted - not sure whether that's a good thing or bad thing? I had a fun time with that because both were equally confused about each other and I enjoy Loki being caught off guard. Of course, he is full of cunning ideas and we never really know what he's going to do next... especially when Silvia is showing an interest in his magic. At least we know Ronan has his eye on her - well, Vernon technically has his eye on her. Poor Silvia has no clue either! Right now... I feel terrible for Ronan. I hate him being all alone in space. Anyways, sorry again for such a late update! I hope you enjoyed it. Feedback is always welcome and I love hearing your thoughts/predictions! Thanks! :) 3**


	20. Part II: Chapter 4

**Chapter song: No Light, No Light by Florence &amp; the Machine**

* * *

**Silvia**

Just as I was about to reply, I heard heavy footsteps echoing below us, causing me to sigh with annoyance. I knew it had to be Vernon because there was no one else large enough to cause such a thunderous noise. My eyes shifted nervously at Loki who appeared more amused than worried. With a glare I warned him to hide and remain quiet. Only a few seconds later, Vernon came sprinting up the stairs, armed and ready for action.

My confusion as to why my butler had a gun was replaced with worry as Vernon looked directly at Loki. But then he quickly glanced away as if no one was there. Loki smirked and placed his finger over his lips. _How does he do that?_ In an effort to appear somewhat normal, I pushed my shoulders back and relaxed my mouth. Vernon was still eyeing the surrounding area with unease as if he were looking for something. When we made eye contact, he grimaced and reluctantly lowered his gun. He then approached me with a regretful expression. I noticed how the ground softly vibrated around my feet as he came nearer. _God, how much does he weigh?_

"I thought I told you I didn't want to be disturbed for the rest of the night." There was a slight breeze as Vernon peered down at me, making me feel guilty with the concern etched in his forehead, and with a slight tremble my eyes locked onto Loki. There was an immediate reaction in Vernon who as soon as I gazed upon the magical alien, spun around with his finger on the trigger.

"Excuse me, I'm speaking to you." It was almost impossible to sound authoritative when I was dripping wet and wearing nothing but a thin blanket. "Why the hell do you have a gun, Vernon?"

He reluctantly turned to face me again, still seemingly on edge. "It's for protection," he said with roaming eyes. "I heard screaming and Karen was offline. I thought – "

"Well, you are my butler, not my bodyguard, OK?" I said, sounding angrier than I felt. Vernon's eyes cast downwards like a scolded puppy, once again making me feel guilty. "I'm sorry." I rubbed my brow and shrugged off my defensive tone. "I'm fine. I just... slipped and the fall scared me, that's all. Thanks for the concern, but next time you get scared call the police. Don't go waving a gun around – you might hurt someone with that thing."

"Yes, ma'am," Vernon politely replied. He proceeded to dismantle the gun with such ease I couldn't help but eye him suspiciously.

I tightened the fabric around my body and glanced once more in Loki's direction. "Well… you obviously know how to handle a gun," I said, heading for the stairs in hope that he would follow me. Much to my relief, he did.

"Yes, I do," he confirmed. "I've been hunting for most of my life, so I'm quite familiar with them," he finished in a light tone.

I nodded absently. "What do you hunt?" I asked, trying to keep his attention.

"A bit of everything," he answered shortly, leaving me to my imagination.

I proceeded down the stairs, anxious to get him as far away from Loki as possible. Despite Vernon signing a contract for me, I highly doubted he would keep an alien criminal hidden from the government. I wasn't willing to take any chances, especially with my father's election less than two weeks away. Vernon opened the French doors into the living room and I continued past him, shivering from the cold, air-conditioned air.

Even with us both inside, he continued staring through the now-locked glass door, tense and quiet. I could see Loki standing outside, smiling wickedly at him. "Please get me a robe," I said, my voice higher than usual. Vernon hesitantly stepped backwards and nodded once. I watched Loki's eyes follow him with apparent curiosity. I too looked at Vernon as he hastily maneuvered through the living room towards the hall. "Draw me a bath too - extra bubbles, please," I added. When I turned around, Loki was no longer there.

With an irritated sigh I walked over to the long glass wall of my living room, looking out into the city. From up here, the normally loud, obnoxious cars appeared no larger than ants, and the pedestrians were nearly invisible in the dark. I tapped my foot anxiously against the wooden floor while I waited for Vernon to return. When he did, I instructed him to inform the staff that the living quarters were off limits to everyone, including him, until tomorrow afternoon. When I was certain he was gone, I dropped Loki's cloth to the floor and replaced it with my soft, warm Terry robe.

The floor was cold as I made my way to the kitchen, heading straight for the spiral staircase which led to the wine cellar below. I picked the first bottle that caught my eye, caring only about the alcohol content and the effects it would have on my nerves. For a short second I considered grabbing two wine glasses, but then I realized home etiquette doesn't apply to guests who break into your home and threaten your life.

_Fuck being polite. I need to get drunk._

As I shuffled through the dark hallways of my home, I remembered there were cameras planted throughout my house, all of which would capture Loki on film. If someone were to leak the footage to the press, my father would undoubtedly hate me forever.

The lights to my bedroom automatically turned on when I stepped inside. "Karen, disable all of the cameras in the living quarters and delete the last thirty minutes of footage from the system," I ordered.

"Yes, Silvia," she replied immediately. I rolled my eyes at her swift response, annoyed that she wasn't around earlier to save me. It wasn't her fault, but it was still aggravating how easily Loki penetrated my home's defenses.

Knowing I only had minutes before Loki made his reappearance, in a rather frenetic manner, I slipped on a green, floor-length silk nightgown. I filled my glass with the wine I so carelessly picked and sipped on the fine, red vintage, enjoying its dry, bitter taste. The glass vial of pills sat before me on my vanity, teasing me with their proximity. It took everything in me not to reach out and put an end to my anxiety. I wanted nothing more than to just swallow my worries away, but then I remembered Ronan's warning about abusing them.

Besides, Loki would be here any second and I didn't want to make myself any more vulnerable. Not a second later, a shadow in the corner of my bedroom moved and I didn't even bother to turn my head.

I brought the glass to my lips with resignation._ Speak of the devil and he shall appear. _

Of course, it wasn't hard for him to appear anywhere. It almost saddened me how unsurprised I was to find him lurking in my bedroom. My life had become a continuous game of cat and mouse, and I would always be the mouse. Always being cornered and chased into the paws of the next monster.

"Your mind is a dismal place to dwell in, even for me," Loki stated quietly. I took another sip of my wine as he grew closer in my peripheral vision.

"I thought I told you to stay out of my head," I replied in an equally quiet tone.

"I've found that the loneliest minds tend to scream the loudest... and yours… is deafening."

I looked at him, surprised by his words. Loki smiled, though it never reached his eyes. The bed dipped as he slowly sat down next to me. Already feeling uncomfortable and anxious, I sprung up from the bed, careful not to spill my wine.

I felt my brow grow heavy as he took in my gown, his smile deepening by the second. "Let's get one thing clear: my mind is off-limits. You don't know anything about me or what I've been through and –"

"Oh, but I do," he said, standing up as well.

I grew curiously quiet as his expression softened. "I know the pain that haunts your eyes. I know you've experienced tremendous suffering," he stated softly, his voice growing lower as he spoke. "And I know you have felt alone… for _far_ too long."

I leaned tiredly over the vanity, eyeing the vial once again. "Stop." My head felt abnormally heavy.

In the mirror, I could see Loki watching me with speculative eyes. His watchfulness was unsettling and made me feel exposed, despite the modest gown I wore. The wine bottle felt unsteady in my hand as I refilled my glass, this time to the brim. "I thought you said we could _help_ each other," I muttered angrily.

Loki eagerly stepped forward. "But I _am_ helping you. You run away from the very thing which makes you stronger: your hatred," he stated coolly.

I paused mid-sip and stared at him blankly through the mirror. "Hatred?" I said, facing him.

"Yes," he answered, unblinking. "You have mistaken your hatred for despair… a dangerous combination in my opinion," he said, slowly walking towards me. "Subduing your pain with intoxication will not work. It never does," he said with a pause. "You are wise to mistrust me, but the words I speak now are true."

He was standing only a foot away, and even though I knew I should be running away from this telepathic maniac, I couldn't. His tone suggested he understood my pain more than anyone else, and that kept me rooted where I stood. His words struck a chord in me, producing unwanted thoughts and doubts that never existed before.

_Did I hate Ronan for abandoning me? Or did I hate Mac-Varr for what he did to me? Or both? Maybe I hated myself for not being strong enough._

I wasn't sure if it was the wine or the mental knife Loki kept twisting into my mind, but tears were soon clouding my vision. Before I could walk away and salvage the remnants of my pride, I felt Loki's long, smooth fingers lift my chin in his direction. Staring into his emerald eyes, which now appeared soft and kind, I felt a familiar longing deep in my stomach. The tender touch of a strong hand – especially one as smooth as his – evoked emotions I had not felt in some time. It was frustrating to discover just how much my body missed being touched.

_I haven't felt my heart flutter like this since the last time I was with… Ronan._

With unexpected anger, I slapped his hand away and quickly backed away. He looked not at all surprised; in fact, there was obvious amusement in his twinkling eyes.

"I don't _hate_ anyone," I snapped. "And don't ever presume to touch me again."

Loki's eyes narrowed, matching the slight sneer on his lips. He obviously wasn't used to being told no.

He casually strolled around the room, stopping when he saw the carvings on the walls. "Why do you want to help me?" I asked, watching him closely.

"I need strong allies," he answered. He lips grew tighter the longer he stared at the geometric shapes.

I raised my eyebrows warily at him. "What makes you think I'm your ally?"

Loki immediately smiled. "Because you're willing to do anything if it means seeing your beloved _Ronan_ again," he stated in a mocking tone.

I wavered where I stood. "That's not true," I said, unable to convince myself.

"Yes, it is." With his hands behind his back, he sauntered over to me and smirked. "Why else would you allow me into your bed chamber?" My cheeks instantly grew warm from the insinuation.

In a defensive tone I said, "I don't even know what your plans are for God's sake. What exactly are you doing here?"

"I mean to rule your world," he said, never breaking eye contact.

I blinked once and snorted. "You're crazy."

Loki's eyes hardened with dissatisfaction. "Do not," he warned slowly, "use that word again."

I crossed my arms. "Fine. Would you prefer delusional?" I smartly replied, ignoring his glare.

"If I am delusional then you are _blinded_," he growled, stepping closer. "Open your eyes to the atrocities your precious _humans_ commit day by day," he said with growing animosity, "including your pathetic excuse of a government. Your so-called leaders idly stand by as thieves, murderers, and rapists run rampant."

I flinched slightly at the last part. "I know we aren't perfect," I started slowly, "but we definitely don't need _you_ leading us. You don't know anything about my people or what we need," I ended on a sarcastic note.

He contemplated quietly to himself before softly replying, "I know without intervention mankind will cease to exist."

I paused with parted lips. "How do you know that? And how exactly do you intend to _intervene_?" I asked suspiciously.

"I have seen it. I possess knowledge far beyond the understanding of a mortal," he said with an arrogant sneer. "I only wish to bring order to your chaotic world and rule as a benevolent king," he said, his voice swelling with pride.

I tried not to smile. "If you think my people will bow down to an alien and call him king, then you are in for a rude awakening," I said.

His eyes grew wide with excitement before a sly smile spread across his lips. "Oh, I expect nonetheless," he said, his mocking returned. "But I believe my army will help _persuade_ your people to seek reason."

My mouth fell open with disgust and anger. "An army?" I said, watching Loki's smile disappear. "And you expect _us_ to seek reason? You're talking about starting a war." As he remained silent and unmoving, it became clear to me that whatever his intentions were with me, they were not good. "You don't care about helping me or my people. All you care about is your _throne_," I seethed with growing rage. "I'm not helping you kill my own people. You seriously _are_ fucking crazy."

Loki's lip twitched with annoyance. "Mock me again, and I will rescind my offer of help," he growled.

With renewed determination, I tilted my head back and finished the remainder of my wine. As the sharp, stress-induced pain in my chest was replaced with the fiery burn of alcohol, I crushed the fine glass into dust with my metal hand and straightened myself up.

I glowered at Loki, whose expression was wrinkled with confusion and faint disbelief. "Get out," I ordered. Loki immediately returned the glare, and for a second I almost looked away from his intimidating, cool eyes, but I stood my ground and remained strong.

"Your feminine temperament impairs your reasoning," he stated coolly. "If you only knew –"

I took a step forward. "I said. Get. Out."

Loki's face slowly relaxed into an unnaturally calm state. "Fine," he said, before he abruptly took a wide step, closing the small gap between us. "_But first_," he snarled – and before I could blink – his hand was tightly wrapped around my neck, suspending me in the air. "I must – oh, what is that Midgardian phrase?" He asked with an eerie smile. "Ah yes… _tie up loose ends."_

The sudden deprivation of oxygen and blood to my brain made it difficult to think clearly, let alone impossible to focus on my power. My eyes, which were now wide with fear, fixated on Loki's scepter as he aimed it towards my chest.

With a cruel, satisfied smile, he began inching the terrifying weapon closer and closer until I could feel the stone's familiar, cool energy brush against my skin. I imagined the sharpened tip driving itself into my heart at an agonizingly-slow pace,with Loki sadistically smiling as I died a horrendous death. As the vision came to an end, there was only one clear word in my mind:

_Ronan. _

I willed my eyes to remain open, but I found it harder to stay conscious as my lungs burned for air. Loki's smile grew until it was wide enough for me to see all of his perfectly-straight, white teeth. My eyes remained open long enough to witness his chest rise and fall as if he were laughing. The only thing I could hear was my heartbeat pounding in my ears, slowing down with each second, until finally it became a soft, distant thud.

_I'm sorry Ronan, _I thought as I felt the sharp end of his scepter poke me in my chest.

I prepared to feel my heart split in two, but the pain I was expecting never came. Instead, it felt as if a cool, soft cloud had enveloped my entire body and filled every crevice that belonged within me. The sensation had a paralyzing effect, freezing every limb, joint, and hair on my body. In my mind, I could sense a presence that wasn't there a few seconds ago and every thought, emotion, or memory that passed through my mind was seen through the eyes of another. I had become a second person, and my mind now belonged to this familiar stranger, but I did not fight it as I thought I would.

This unseen presence was alluring, comforting, and wise beyond compare. It knew me. It knew _everything_ about me. Its' voice belonged to neither male nor female, it simply…_was_. The being was gentle and kind, yet powerful and merciless. It took on a shapeless form, only a faint, glowing yellow orb of light, shimmering in the dark abyss of my mind. A deep, slow hissing formed within the ball of light, causing it to swirl with life.

"_Hello, child."_

"_Hello."_

"_How do you feel?"_

"_Wonderful."_

"_Yes..."_

"_Who are you?"_

"_I am… _We_ are… All… the Six… the _One,_"_ the voice quietly drawled.

Some distant part of me heard a second voice, and it wasn't until I diverted my attention away from the mysterious light that I noticed Loki was standing directly in front of me, speaking with a wide smile and maddened eyes.

"– a force to be reckoned with, and with your power… I will conquer Midgard and _all_ shall kneel before me," Loki finished, though I sensed he said much more beforehand.

A group of voices filled my mind simultaneously with their snake-like whispers.

"_Silvertongue…"_

"_Laufeyson..."_

"_Traitor…"_

"_Sly One..." _

"_Trickster..." _

"_God of Lies…" _

The harsh hissing slowly vanished until my mind once again became empty. Though I remained unable to move, I could sense my body was beginning to melt under the pressure of the One.

"You must do as I say," Loki commanded more forcefully. The voices inside my head once again talked among themselves.

_"We obey no one…"_

_ "She must go…"_

_ "…to fulfill her destiny."_

_ "Yes…"_

_ "He cannot be trusted…"_

_ "There is no other choice…"_

"Follow me," Loki ordered angrily. I remained perfectly still.

_"Follow him,"_ the One commanded.

My feet began moving forward without my consent. It became clear that every action I took from here on out was no longer of my own consent. Every breath, footstep, and blink was now under the control of the One, and all the while, Loki remained surprisingly unaware of the other-worldly presence. When I blinked again, we were standing in front of my arsenal on the far-right side of the house.

"Step forward," Loki commanded. I found my feet moving closer to him, but I held myself back.

He sighed with discontent.

"Closer," he said in an annoyed tone. I felt myself hesitate once again.

_"Do as he says,"_ the One commanded.

I immediately placed myself in front of the retinal scanner, and a second later, a bright, blue wave of light passed over my face. The scanner responded with a loud, metal click as the door unlocked, revealing an abundance of high-tech weapons and ammunition. Although I was unable to turn my head, I could sense Loki watching me from the side, probably smiling with arrogant pride and feeling some sick, twisted form of satisfaction. My focus returned to the ball of light inside my head. A distant part of me noticed black-uniformed soldiers running in and out my vault, loading their handcarts with all of my supplies.

"_Please, let me go,"_ I begged the One.

_"We must first be released,"_ it replied.

"_I don't understand."_

_"You will."_ I felt a warm wave of reassurance flow through my body. It was both comforting and haunting at the same time, because I knew at that moment, that whatever was inside of me… it was far more powerful than any living being. It was divine.

I blinked again. I was now standing in the middle of Stark Tower's lobby. There were similar soldiers dressed in black standing everywhere. These cruel-eyed men did not belong to Tony, I was certain of that at least. My feet continued moving, though I had no idea where they were leading me.

I blinked again. I was standing in the middle of a barren room, cold and covered in metal, deep below the surface of Stark Tower. I noticed I could now move about freely, though it did me no good since there was nowhere for me to go.

"It is unnatural for a mortal to possess such power," I heard Loki's voice call out from the dark. "That is why I have bestowed upon myself the task of _relinquishing_ you from this tiresome burden," he said, not even attempting to hide his amusement. "But first, I must know how you came about such rare, dark magic. Tell me its name," he demanded.

He emerged from the shadows like a ghost. His face was dark with the desire for power, and as he came closer with every slow, steady step, I found my heart beat faster in response.

His lips curled with displeasure as I remained quiet. "How is it you remain a stubborn wench, even now?" He said, becoming suddenly still. Another few seconds later, and his stoic expression quickly melted into one of confused rage. "Speak, woman! Tell me the name of the power which you possess."

_"Tell him," _the One commanded.

"_But I don't know,"_ I thought to myself.

_"It is time… for _Us_… to speak,"_ it slowly answered. The silent, dark room soon became filled with my pained screams as the supernatural entity took control of my psyche.

Minutes ago it called itself the Six, and now I understood why. Six voices, each desperate to be heard and spoken for, now split my mind and strained my vocal chords beyond the capacity of any normal human being. In their deep, raspy, shrill voices, they spoke a language one would only hear in dreams, or possibly in nightmares. It was a hauntingly beautiful lullaby, smooth and fluid-like, but laced with venomous warning.

I blinked again.

I was on the ground, sweating profusely as my body tried to reject the entity. With my limbs twisted and coiled on the cold, hard floor, I caught a glimpse of Loki's pale-ridden face. For a brief second, I saw my own terror reflected in his wide eyes.

I blinked again.

I was home.

* * *

**Ronan**

"You there! Wait your turn, I said! The next in line may step forward… _NOW!" _Korath shouted in his usual, rough voice.

A sound Ronan was not particularly fond of hearing this early in the morning. He closed his eyes in annoyance as the Pursuer demanded the next visitor to enter the court room, filling the large chamber with his barking roar. Ronan's patience was already spread far too thin these days, but Korath was one of few whom he trusted completely, so he let his cybernetic friend continue on with his obnoxious methods; also, he repeatedly demonstrated the ability to take care of _chores_ in a timely and efficient manner so Ronan need not to.

However, today was one of the few days where Ronan was forced to show his civil side – as small as it may be – and that entailed listening to the needs of his people and delivering justice to those who deserved it. For hours he sat on his throne in the capitol building of Hala, listening to the Kree who came before him and confessed words they believed important enough for him to hear. Men, women, and children of all ages crowded his halls. Many were Kree officials who had come to claim their allegiance to him, others… were not so wise. Then there were those who spoke of the horrors committed against themselves and their families, and sought vengeance upon Hal-Dan's capitol savages. Ronan, of course, was more than willing to grant them their wishes.

It had been a long day, and as the sun was closing in on the horizon, Ronan sipped on his wine and watched the last of the golden light leave the sky. His new home on Hala was larger and far more opulent to his liking, but it was custom for the Emperor to reside in the Palace, so he obligingly accepted the ridiculous, colossal building. It was a wonder as to how it remained untouched during the siege. He cursed himself for not obliterating it when he had the chance. As he continued watching the sunset in blissful silence, he found himself smiling at the thought of Silvia walking among these halls, filling them with her subtle, quiet laughter.

"Ronan." He heard Korath inquire from across the room. He regretfully turned away from the sunset to face his comrade. He frowned with displeasure as he noticed the concerned expression on Korath's face; it was a look he knew far too well. He placed his goblet down on the table next to him and prepared to hear whatever unfortunate news Korath possessed.

"Black Bolt is demanding to speak with you," he announced quietly, keeping his eyes lowered to the ground. Ronan snorted quietly before turning away.

There were only a few minutes left before the shimmering, yellow light in the sky would be replaced with dark shades of blue. This was the first sunset he had seen in weeks, and he refused to miss it for that Inhuman brat.

"Leave," he said, taking ahold of his goblet. "And tell _Black Bolt_ I am far too preoccupied at the moment." _What a ridiculous name, _he thought as he brought the heavy cup to his lips.

"But Master –"

Ronan glanced over his shoulder, silencing Korath instantly.

"Yes, Ronan," he muttered, backing away with a bow.

He listened to Korath's hurried footsteps echoing down the hall and reverted his gaze to the horizon far off in the distance. His eyes locked onto the fading sun, trying to savor every fleeting second of warmth it had to offer him.

_Black Bolt_, he thought, suppressing a scowl. _Demanding _me_?_

That child of a king obviously did not learn the etiquette of politics. In another reality, he would have happily accepted the impudent brat's request only to smash his skull in with his Ultimate Weapon, but his people regretfully needed the Inhuman's alliance. Centuries of war had weakened the Kree far beyond the Supreme Intelligence's anticipation; however, the empire still remained one of the greatest in the universe and under his rule, it would become the greatest of all time. Still, his spies and allies could not be everywhere at all times, and because of this, he found himself on edge more times than not.

News of the Chitauri's trek across the universe was spreading, though many of his people remained unaware of their existence, so panic remained absent among the public. Ronan only learned of the disgusting, vile race shortly after his first meeting with Thanos. Due to their brief and hostile partnership, he failed to learn of their origin or abilities. He heard faint rumors they were kin to the Skrull, and if that were true, then he had yet another issue to deal with. If his spies were correct, then the Chitauri were preparing for war; only, they were heading in the opposite direction of the Kree's territories, and this news left Ronan frustratingly confused.

He and the Council were truthfully unaware of the strange creatures' intentions, which only infuriated him because he detested not knowing what was happening around him. As he was now responsible for billions of lives, he felt a compelling desire to know the truth and destroy any potential threats to his people. He did not dare oppose Thanos in a time such as this, nor in any near future, but he knew their encounter was inevitable.

That night, despite the worries that plagued his mind, he found himself falling asleep to the memory of Silvia's milky-white face. He could distinctly remember the softness of her flowing, pale hair and perfectly-plump, reddened lips. It was her eyes that he missed the most – filled with such passion and desire, and a stubbornness that challenged him greatly. In her eyes lied a fire that could not be quenched. It was one of the many reasons why he admired her.

She was stronger than all of his greatest warriors in more way than one, and the secret to her strength lied in her ignorance. Silvia was born to be a warrior… or better yet, a savior, yet she hadn't a clue. He could feel it in her skin every time he embraced her. Perhaps this is why he grew to be so protective of her. Deep down, he knew it was only a matter of time before Silvia's full power was realized, and then, her thirst for knowledge would lead her down a path where he could not fully protect her. He would follow her nonetheless, despite his reasoning urging him to abandon this foolish quest for companionship.

Her face once again consumed his thoughts, forcing his worries away into the deepest parts of his mind. He was gazing longingly into her wide, round eyes when he drifted into the dark sea of dreams and long-forgotten memories.

_A beautiful visage, indeed._

* * *

**Silvia**

I found myself sitting in my bubble-filled bathtub, staring confusedly around the room, not knowing how the hell I got here. Only a second ago I was swimming laps in the pool, and now I was downstairs in my ensuite, apparently enjoying a bubble bath. How did I get here? To the right of me was a nearly-empty bottle of wine sitting on the floor, and next to it was the glass vial of pills, which was also noticeably drained. What the hell happened? Did I randomly go on a drug and alcohol binge, and lose my memory?

No, if that were what happened, I would feel like shit right now, which I didn't. In fact, I felt perfectly fine, albeit the slight fuzziness that clouded my head. This didn't make any sense.

I looked down at the bubbles, trying my best to recall what happened tonight, but nothing came to mind. It felt as if my memory had been swiped. It was just… blank. This has only happened to me once before – and that incident involved many shots of tequila. I frowned with unease and scooped a handful of bubbles in my hand, silently trying to remember what happened. But when I looked down at my hands, a horrifying chill crept over my body as I saw an unsettling sight: My reflective, metal hand was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, I was looking down at a normal hand with perfectly matching skin. It even had fingernails which appeared identical to my real ones. When I regained control of my breath, I inspected it more closely, hoping this was some kind of hallucination or dream. After wiggling my fingers, I realized it remained numb and moved with superior dexterity. I brushed my authentic fingers across it and discovered it was warm and soft, just like a normal hand would be.

In a frantic state, I jumped out of the bathtub and began brushing away the bubbles that still clung to my legs, trying to find my foot under the mountain of soapy nuisance. When my foot was finally visible, I found myself collapsing onto the floor, once again shocked to discover that my metal foot was also replaced with a flesh-covered one. With wide, fear-filled eyes I stared at the perfectly human foot in awe.

_I'm dreaming. This is a dream. This can't be real. This isn't possible._

A scream threatened to pass through me, but my overwhelming shock forced me to remain quiet, so instead I trembled like a leaf on the wet floor. I looked around the room looking for some kind of explanation, but I was alone and more confused than ever before. The only other person potentially capable of this was Tony, and his whereabouts remained a mystery. The clock on the wall read a little after 2:00 AM, which was four hours past the time I remembered last. How could four hours just vanish from my memory? I pulled myself up from the floor and quickly slipped on the green nightgown lying nearby, not even bothering to dry off first. As I began making my way to the door, I caught a glimpse of my disheveled appearance in the mirror and abruptly stopped.

I found myself rushing towards the mirror. "This isn't possible," I whispered.

My eyes were blue again.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING?" I screamed at my reflection.

"Silvia, are you in need of assistance?" Karen suddenly asked over the speakers.

"God Karen, you're so stupid! Look at me!" I said, grabbing ahold of the sides of my head. _I'm losing my mind, aren't I?_

"My cameras have been disabled, so I am unable to examine your physical appearance. I am detecting high levels of cortisol and an abnormally high heart rate. You are in distress."

"Yeah, no shit!" I angrily replied. "Why are your cameras disabled?"

"You requested I shut down all cameras in the living quarters."

"What? Why would I do that?" I asked, tilting my head.

"You did not specify the reason, ma'am," she answered.

"Well, turn them back on!" I snapped.

I stormed out of the bathroom and headed for the camera room located on the opposite side of the house. Water dripped from my hair and skin and onto the marble floor below as I stomped through the halls, leaving a trail of wet, erratic footsteps. After entering the security code and pulling open the door, I sighed with discontent at the number of screens and buttons on the wall.

"Karen, show the rooftop footage of me from this evening," I ordered, stepping inside the small, dark room. I stepped closer as I appeared on one of the screens and watched as an overly-excited me ran into the dome telescope. _Yes, I remember this. _I then saw Vernon ascend the stairs nearby, staring cautiously around the terrace as if he expected some threat to be hidden amongst the shadows. After inspecting every corner of the rooftop, he proceeded to approach the dome and knock on the door just as I remembered. Over the next few minutes I watched myself speak with him until he descended the stairs and then… the screen went blank.

I held out my hand as if that would somehow bring it back. "Where's the rest of the footage?" I asked Karen.

"It has been erased from the files.

There was now a heavy line between my brows. "By who?" I asked, completely bewildered.

"You, ma'am," she quietly answered.

_What the FUCK?_

I groaned with frustration and lowered my face into my hands. "Can you recover it?"

"I'm afraid not. The footage has been removed from the system, as you requested."

My fingers pressed into my temples to ease my surfacing headache. "Do you know _why_ I asked you to erase it?"

"No, ma'am. I am programmed not to ask questions."

_Of course you are._

Not knowing what else to do, I headed back to my bedroom and grabbed my cell phone from the vanity, preparing to call Tony. As I tiredly shuffled to my bed, I frowned as something sharp pricked me in the sole of my foot. I bent down to inspect the carpet and noticed tiny fragments of glass embedded in the fibers. I shook my head with annoyance and closed my eyes, not even bothering to try to understand the meaning of this. With my foot in my lap, I sat on the edge of the bed and picked the microscopic shards of glass from my skin. There wasn't any pain, it was just uncomfortable. Like dirt under your fingernails or an annoying tag in the collar of your shirt. At that moment I was grateful for my skin's durability, or else this glass would have created a bloody mess all over my new carpet.

With my phone pressed between my shoulder and ear, I continued picking the remaining pieces from my heel and attempted to contact Tony for the millionth time. Much to my surprise, he actually answered.

"Silvia. Hi," he said slowly in a distracted tone. "I'm – uh – now's not a good time. Everything OK, kid?" He said with a cough, obviously in a hurry to get off the phone.

"No, Tony. Everything is _not_ OK," I said anxiously. "My hand and foot – you know, the metal ones? Yeah, well… they aren't metal anymore. I lost four hours of my memory, and apparently I told Karen to erase those four hours of footage from the home's security system, but I have no idea why! Something really weird is happening… I feel different. Like, I'm fine – actually – better than fine, which is really starting to freak me out, but I feel all floaty…almost like a feather or a… balloon…"

There was a long pause. "Have you been drinking? Or is it drugs? No, wait. It's drugs. Personally, I've found that acid tends to – "

I grunted with annoyance. "Tony, stop! I'm not on drugs! When I woke up there was a bottle of pills lying next to me, but – "

"Sil," he said with a tired sigh. "Sleep it off. Eh, eh, eh - trust me," he chirped when I tried to interrupt. "Listen, there might be an army of ETs coming to Earth and I'm assuming they aren't the Reese's Pieces-loving, finger-glowing kind. I don't know when or where it's supposed to happen, so keep your eyes open. Now, I need to find Loki, but in order to do that – I need to get off the phone," he said with growing agitation. "LSD isn't going to kill you kid… just… stay away from mirrors," he quietly added, and then I heard a loud click.

"Hello?" I asked, receiving no reply. _He hung up on me!_ I immediately tried calling back, but it went straight to voicemail. _Damn it, Tony._

"What… the FUCK," I growled, staring at my phone with disbelief.

Wait, did he say there was an alien army coming? Oh my god. Was this Thanos coming to fulfill his promise of revenge? Why is Loki not in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s custody anymore?

Speaking with Tony left me more anxious and confused than before I called him. All of these emotions, plus my obvious anger, made me want to punch Tony in the face for hanging up on me. In a moment of weakness, I grabbed one of my pillows and screamed into it with all of my pent-up rage.

"Are you alright, Silvia?" Karen asked.

I promptly raised my face from the pillow. "Shut up, Karen!" I shouted harshly, throwing my pillow across the room.

When it hit the opposite wall of my bedroom, it exploded with a loud _POP_, projecting hundreds of down feathers into the air. My gaping expression quickly transformed into a satisfied smile. Still needing to release some steam, I picked up another pillow and easily ripped it in half with my hands. By the time I was done taking out my frustration on the fluffy pillows, I was covered in feathers. My bedroom now looked like the North Pole.

_The staff is going to love this_, I thought as I walked across my feather-coated carpet.

In the bathroom I found the pills and wine where I left them. I picked up the light bottle of Chateau Margaux 2009 and took a large swig, humming with appreciation at its' fine taste and aroma. With my eyes transfixed on the pills, I stood there battling my drug-craving mind while finishing the remainder of wine. I reluctantly picked up the glass vial of pills and glared at it in my hand, quietly loathing myself for needing them. Maybe Tony is right. Maybe this is some kind of drug-induced hallucination, and I'll wake up tomorrow with purple eyes again.

_I don't feel fucked up though. I wish I was_, I thought as I tapped two pills from the vial into the palm of my hand. Regardless of whether or not my mental lapse was caused by drugs, Tony was right about one thing: I needed to sleep and Ronan's pills would undoubtedly do the trick. I popped the small, round pills into my mouth and walked over to the sink, cupping my hands underneath the faucet to drink. It only took thirty seconds for me to feel the effects of the drugs, but by that time I was already lying in bed with my eyes closed, silently begging for sleep.

Another thirty seconds later, I was granted my wish.

My room was still dark when I opened my eyes, which was odd considering I had taken enough medicine to knock out a fully-grown horse. If the clock on my nightstand was correct, then I hadn't even been asleep for an hour. I tiredly rolled onto my back and gazed upwards at the skylight, admiring my wonderful view of the twinkling stars far off in the distance. I was just beginning to fall back asleep when a soft thud from outside my door caught my attention. With an annoyed sigh, I threw back my sheets and trudged my way across the room, smiling happily when I noticed the feathers were no longer cluttering the floor. When I reached the door, I blindly picked a garment off one of the hangers next to it and lazily slipped on a silky, black robe that only reached mid-thigh. I peered into the hallway expecting to find one of the house staff getting an early start on their morning cleaning, but the hallway was surprisingly empty.

Another thud echoed down the hall, this time louder than before. It sounded as if it were coming from around the corner in the direction of the living room.

"Hello?" I softly called out into the dark. There was no response. I leaned over and flipped the light switch next to me, instantly filling the dark hall with bright, warm light. It was embarrassing how relieved I was to see no one standing at the end of the hall. _For God's sake, I'm not a child anymore. I can't be afraid of the dark and call myself an adult, _I thought as I chuckled at my own childish behavior. Buildings make random noises all of the time; it didn't mean there was a monster waiting for me in the shadows.

My curiosity led me further down the hall and towards the living room, hoping to find the origin of the noise. Just as I was reaching the bend, another thud resonated through the hallway, only this time it was loud enough to cause the floor to shake. I sighed at my own jumpiness and continued forward. By the time I reached the entrance to the living room, I had a fully prepared speech ready for whoever decided it was a good idea to start cleaning at 3 AM, but when I entered the dimly-lit space, it was also empty. I frowned with unease and stood there for a few seconds, dumbfounded by the strange noise. _That's weird_, I thought with a shrug.

By now I didn't feel the least bit tired, and my stomach was angrily rumbling with hunger, so I strolled into the kitchen and made a PB&amp;J sandwich. I returned the bread and peanut butter to the pantry and walked over to the counter to retrieve my sandwich, but it was no longer on my plate. With an exasperated sigh, I once again gathered all of the ingredients and made another sandwich. Again, after stepping out of the pantry, my sandwich was missing from the counter.

"Damn it," I grumbled irritably as I stomped back into the pantry.

This happened over and over again until finally, there was no more bread or peanut butter left. With my jaw tightly clenched, I threw the butter knife into the sink and pressed my chef's call button on the wall next to the refrigerator. I listened to the rings, counting them in my head as it seemed to go on forever, until finally, the ringing stopped and was replaced with raspy breaths.

"Hello? Mindy?" I asked into the speaker, now feeling concerned. The other end became completely silent.

Then I heard a faint, single croak, like that of person preparing to die. "The fear of death follows from the fear of life," whispered an unfamiliar, elderly man.

"Who is this?" I demanded. Another raspy breath followed.

"A man who lives fully," he answered slowly, taking his time, "is prepared to die at any time." When he finished, I heard the soft click of a phone being put down, and then silence.

_Well that was fucking weird_, I thought as I found myself standing by the glass wall in the living room.

I was staring through the window and into the familiar – yet somehow different – city before me. In the distance I noticed several buildings were blazing with bright, terrible fire, and when I looked up, there were planets in the sky I had never noticed before, along with strange space crafts that resembled jet skis. After yawning and rubbing my eyes, the city returned to normal.

With a shrug and shake of my head, I turned away and began heading back to my bedroom. The longer I walked, the stranger my home appeared to me. The hallway became darker and wider until eventually I was left standing in a pitch-black abyss. My hands were no longer visible as I held them out in front of me, attempting to find the walls to guide me along. No matter how far or in which direction I walked, my hands never made contact with anything.

I began crawling on the floor, reaching desperately for anything to grab onto but there was nothing. The floor slowly began to slope downwards until it suddenly turned into a ninety-degree slide, and then I was falling into a pit of nothingness, screaming hysterically.

When I finally landed, I was lying on a soft, familiar bed in a metal room with bluish-white light. I rolled my head over to the side and saw Ronan lying next to me, propped up on his elbow facing me. His eyes wrinkled slightly in the corners as his lips curved into a soft, proud smile.

"I wish this was real," I whispered sadly, leaning in closer.

He rolled onto his back, pulling me on top of him as he did so. His hands, which felt so real, gripped onto the sides of my thighs, rocking me ever so slowly against his bare torso. I couldn't help but moan with pleasure at the friction, eliciting a satisfied groan from Ronan, a sound I missed to much. When I felt a cold chill sweep across my skin, I opened my eyes and discovered I was no longer wearing any clothes. Ronan's smile deepened as that possessive look in his eyes returned, and with an equally devilish look, I straddled his waist. There was no foreplay or kissing of any kind. No affectionate words or longing gazes. He was inside of me before I could even bat an eyelash, and I loved every single, deep thrust he gave to me. His hands possessed me in every way possible. They were everywhere, on and _in _everything. We were a perfectly orchestrated mess of lust and madness. I matched his ruthless pace and pushed myself harder down onto him with a strength that would break a human man. He responded with a delicious grunt and grabbed my hips, holding me in the air so I rested just above his tip. With his knees bent, he began thrusting upwards into me at a pace I had not been anticipating, but loved so very much. The new angle hit my spot perfectly, and at Ronan's steady, fast rate, I began regularly coming. I had just finished my sixth orgasm when I heard a male sigh next to me.

I lazily glanced to my left and instantly groaned with irritation. "Well _this_ is interesting," Loki jeered, looking between me and Ronan. "A _Kree_? Really?" He said, looking appalled.

"Go away," I complained, even as Ronan continued thrusting into me. I closed my eyes, trying to make Loki disappear.

"Oh, I'm not leaving; quite the opposite actually," he said. His amused tone was tainted with sly intent.

"This – is – _my_ – dream," I growled between moans. Loki nodded at the bed and I followed his gaze with confusion, screaming when I saw he had replaced Ronan with himself, never breaking his rough, steady pace. I fell backwards off of him out of shock, feeling disgusted with myself.

_It's just a dream._

When I climbed off of the bed, I found myself standing in the Dark Aster, and in front of me was Ronan, scowling at me with absolute loathing. I reached out to smooth the angry lines on his face, but he stopped me by seizing my hand with ferocious intensity. Before I could ask what he was doing, I felt the familiar snap of my pinky finger breaking under the pressure of his hand. As I fell to the floor crying, I noticed Loki standing behind Ronan, watching the two of us curiously.

_This isn't a dream. This is a memory... _

When I blinked, I found myself being choked by Ronan whose eyes were now shining brightly with the infinity stone's power. In the background, I saw fragments of a destroyed planet through the Dark Aster's large window. _Xandar_. As he sent me flying backwards in the air, I once again noticed Loki standing to the side watching the scene as if it were a movie he didn't particularly care for. When I held my blood-covered hand in front of my face, Loki's expression of dislike soured even further.

"Why are you doing this to me?" I asked Ronan. This time I remained conscious to hear his response.

"Because I do not tolerate weakness..."

With heavy eyes I watched him swing his hammer down onto my head, sending me to yet another place where I did not want to go.

This time my head was underwater, and my sinuses were burning like hell. _Not again. This feels too real._ When Ronan pulled me up by my hair, Loki was standing on the opposite side of the tub, watching with a disturbed frown.

"Go away," I cried before my face hit the water again.

I was now standing in the middle of my worst nightmare.

The white room.

I was bound, bleeding, and aching all over with horrible pain.

Across from me stood Loki, who was looking around the room with obvious unease and curiosity.

"Please! Wake up!" I cried hysterically, pulling at the restraints. Loki glanced sideways at me as he inspected Mac-Varr's wall of torturous instruments, but remained silent. When the door began inching open, I started screaming as loudly as possible, trying desperately to wake myself out of this terrible dream.

Loki's head jerked towards the door. His eyes became cool and narrow as Mac-Varr appeared from the shadows. From his waist he unsheathed one of his favorite weapons – his "peeling" knife as he called it – and smiled at me like he always did before he tortured me. I could hear myself screaming _NO_ over and over again, but it felt as if I weren't making any noise at all. Mac-Varr was deaf to my pleas. When I looked up at my bound wrists, I felt myself involuntarily gag: I was looking at my horribly disfigured hand _before_ it had been removed.

_Oh my God. I don't remember seeing this. I don't _want_ to remember this!_

My gaze snapped back down when I felt Mac-Varr, who was now standing directly in front of me, attempting to steady my squirming hips for him. Loki, who had been watching closely the entire time, now looked away as if he were going to be ill. Just as I felt Mac-Varr begin to press into my flesh, Loki growled and rotated the scepter in his hand, causing the memory to fade into absolute darkness.

The sudden sensation of falling backwards jolted me awake with a startled gasp. My pillow and sheets were soaked from sweat and tears, and my hair was sticking grossly to my cold, clammy skin.

_It was just a dream_, I thought as I rolled off of the bed and onto the feather-covered floor. I crawled to the bathroom, too weak to stand on my own, and scurried to the toilet where I began retching with unexpected intensity. I lost count of how many times I was sick, but with each disgusting purge, I felt cleaner and lighter – as if I were cleansing my body of a horrible poison – and by the time I was finished, I felt relatively normal. Mentally though, I was a wreck. I glanced at the clock on the wall which now read 8:00 AM and sighed with fatigue. There was no way in hell I was going back to sleep after what happened. Knowing I should probably eat, I decided to go to the kitchen and ask Mindy to prepare pancakes. As I made my way through the halls, I frowned with confusion at the absence of my house staff. Much to my frustration, the kitchen was completely empty. Normally Mindy and her team would already be preparing for tonight's dinner.

I walked over to staff's intercom to wake everyone up and felt myself hesitate as I looked at the small black button. _It was just a dream, damn it._ When I pushed the button and heard Vernon's voice on the other end, I sighed with relief and immediately ordered him to wake the remaining staff.

"Yes… of course, Silvia," he slowly replied, sounding confused. I sat down at the kitchen bar and frowned with disbelief. _Has everyone lost their fucking mind?_

When Mindy arrived five minutes later, she appeared tired and disheveled as if she were hungover.

"Late night?" I asked, watching her as she hustled around the kitchen.

She looked over at me and smiled with dark circles under her eyes. "Yes," she said, already pulling out the ingredients for pancakes. "I wasn't expecting to be up this early."

I couldn't help but wrinkle my brow at her comment. "You're usually up hours before this."

"Yes, usually," she said quietly, making me frown.

I heard heavy footsteps approach me from behind. "Good morning, Silvia," Vernon announced in his kind, deep voice. I looked over my shoulder and smiled, though I was slightly annoyed by his poor management of the staff.

There was also the fact that he was the last person I spoke to before I lost my memory. I couldn't help but imagine he was somehow responsible for what happened to me. There was something definitely off about him.

"Good morning, Vernon," I politely replied. "I was surprised to find myself alone this morning. I expected everyone to already be awake."

He casually strolled over to my side and smiled down at me. "Yes, well… the staff decided to have a night on the town after you ordered them to come in late today. I see you've changed your mind," he said, narrowing his eyes ever so slightly.

_I did what? Why…?_

I looked down at the counter and frowned. "Y-yes… I did," I said, caught off guard. "I just… really wanted pancakes when I got out of bed this morning," I lied with an uneasy smile. Mindy, who was in the middle of cooking, glanced at me curiously like she always did when she knew I wasn't being honest.

"Are you feeling well, Silvia?" Vernon asked with quiet concern. I cleared my throat and reached for one of the oranges in the fruit bowl before me, hoping he would just drop the subject.

"Yes, of course," I replied. _But I have no idea what is going on._

"Wha – how?" Vernon demanded, his voice loud with shock and disbelief. Both Mindy and I turned to face Vernon at his sudden change of tone. When I followed his wide, surprised eyes, I found he was staring directly at my hand – the fake one.

I stood up out of suspicion and glanced at Mindy, who continued cooking pancakes with an awkward, uncomfortable expression. I returned my gaze to Vernon, who appeared obviously disturbed by my hand.

_He's never seen my hands without the gloves. He shouldn't know what they look like underneath, so why is he getting so upset over a visibly-normal hand? Does he know what happened to my real hand? Is he one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s spies? _

"I will be right back," he suddenly muttered before turning on his heel. He was gone before I could question his odd behavior.

My stomach tightened with worry as my gut-feeling proved to be correct: Vernon is hiding something. With a perturbed scowl, I quietly sprinted after him down the hallway, determined to figure out his secret. By the time we reached the opposite side of the house, I came to the conclusion that Vernon was definitely not human – or at least, not a normal human – because his walk was faster than a normal person's jogging pace.

I carefully peered around the corner of the hallway and watched with confusion as he entered his bedroom. I was expecting him to take the elevator down to the lobby, where he would make a call to S.H.I.E.L.D. or whoever the hell he worked for, because it was impossible to receive cell phone service within this part of the house. It was designed to reject all forms of outside electronics as a way of protecting the home's security system from viruses and malicious software. If Vernon was hiding any sort of communication device, Karen would have detected it and alerted me right away. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. After a minute of uneventfulness, I sighed with disappointment at my own paranoia and turned to leave… but then I heard something. From within Vernon's room, came hushed, angry voices.

_Who could he possibly be talking to?_

My heart rate nearly doubled as I quietly inched my way to the door. There was definitely someone else inside there with him, but the voice I was hearing could only belong to one other person and that wasn't possible. I slowly pressed my ear against the door to hear the heated conversation more clearly.

"I have seen it with my own eyes," I heard Vernon say in a low voice.

"There must be a mistake. This cannot be."

_Ronan._

A sudden, instinctual urge took over my body as I heard his powerful, deep voice. Before I could stop myself, my hands were prying open Vernon's door – breaking it off in the process – and I marched inside, filled with a wide array of emotions. There in the middle of the room, stood a holographic, life-size version of the man I loved. Ronan.

My view of him was suddenly interrupted as Vernon came to stand in front of me, yelling something about invasion of privacy and impoliteness, and who the fuck cares? Without even looking at him, I grabbed ahold of his arms and slung him through the air into the hallway, sending him crashing into the wall with a painful-sounding thud. I quickly shoved the broken door back into place to prevent him from re-entering; though, judging from the sounds he was making, he wouldn't be standing up anytime soon. I took a few seconds to recollect my composure before turning around.

When I finally did, I was looking up into a face I knew far too well. There were so many things I wanted to do to him, and a few of those things were unpleasant to say the least.

"Silvia," he said in that familiar warning tone.

"Don't," I snapped angrily. He tilted his head down at me with impatience.

"He is our ally. Do not cause him any more harm," he said in a cool voice.

"You've been able to communicate with me this whole time. Am I not important enough for a fucking phone call?" I said, shaking my head with disbelief. "And Vernon... you send a man into my own house to spy on me. Will you ever stop keeping things from me?"

"What I am doing is _protecting_ you," he replied irritably. I couldn't help but laugh with resentment.

"From who? Thanos?" I asked, causing his eyes to widen. "Yeah. I met him."

His face became wrinkled with concern. "Silvia, how did you contact Thanos?" In his eyes, I could detect the tiniest bit of fear.

"I think it was Loki's scepter – oh yeah, I met him too," I said as Ronan's frown deepened. "I grabbed the scepter, and then I was standing on some rock in the middle of space," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "He told me exactly how he was going to kill me… and you…" I mumbled, trailing off as I recalled the horrific details. "You can't protect me, Ronan. He's a demon," I whispered.

I heard Ronan growl quietly, causing me to look at him again. "Silvia. You are not safe on Terra –"

"I'm not safe anywhere," I groaned, throwing my hands up into the air.

"Listen to me!" He shouted angrily, making me cringe. "You must do as I say – "

"Why?" I asked. Ronan's bright, purple eyes darkened slightly. As he remained silent, I held out my hands in front of me, feeling a strange power flow through them.

"What happened to your hands, Silvia?" He slowly asked as I stared at my hands in awe. I could hear the strength flowing through them – flowing throughout my body – but this power felt natural, unlike all those times before.

"I don't know," I answered honestly. I heard him sigh angrily. "Maybe if you didn't drop me off here like some unwanted pet you would know," I spat, looking back up.

"Every action I have chosen thus far has been to protect you," he replied with equal intensity.

"And what a _marvelous_ job you've done! Kidnapped, raped, tortured, mutilated… and that's not even counting what _you've_ done to me. You know… my life was fine before I met you!" I shouted with unforeseen animosity.

There was so much anger inside of me and I had no idea where it was coming from. It began boiling deep within my chest and crawling out of my throat, forcing me to say things I regretted before they even passed my lips.

"You are not well," Ronan said with an uneasy expression. "Listen to me, Silvia."

_I wish he wouldn't look at me like that. Like I'm some kind of freak._

"You're wrong - I've never felt better. And I'm done listening to you. All you do is hide things from me," I replied in a hateful tone.

I took a step forward. "Goodbye, Ronan," I quietly announced, causing his eyes to flicker with confusion. The conversation came to an end as my foot crushed the small device to pieces.

Ronan remained still, but his fists were clenched tightly by his sides, slightly shaking with a rage he had not felt in some time.

"Korath, prepare my ship," Ronan ordered quietly.

_You're a damn fool, Silvia._

* * *

**Author's note: Hey everyone! Yes, I am still alive :) Sorry... I had a tonsillectomy and that pushed me back a few weeks. I apologize for the delay! :( I've been working on my novel... which is turning out to be quite complex. I hope you enjoyed the update! I know it was probably confusing in some parts... like when Silvia was dreaming and she didn't realize it at first. It's weird how when we dream... the most bizarre occurrences seem so normal - like burning buildings and stolen sandwiches. Feel free to interpret that in any way you want. I already know, but I enjoy hearing readers' thoughts :)**

**I would also love to hear your opinion about what happened between Loki and Silvia. Any guesses? Hearing voices inside your head is never good! I'm sure some of you are happy to learn that Ronan is coming to Terra... but... after Silvia's outburst, who knows how that reunion is going to go? Yikes. Honestly, I'm kind of afraid for Silvia - and Ronan. Well, and Loki... that little puppet master! He sure knows how to play people. Thanks again for all the readers who have reviewed/PM'd me! I promise I have not abandoned you. Life just keeps me busy :) **

**P.S. feel free to add me on Instagram (shlbrown_writer). Maybe that will stop a few people from messaging me, asking me if I'm OK. Haha ;) Love you guys.**


	21. Part II: Chapter 5

_**Chapter song: I Wish I Was the Moon by Neko Case**_

* * *

Vernon limped behind me, clutching his ribcage. "You need to calm down."

I spun on my heel. "This IS me being calm," I shouted, causing him to shrink back. I glanced guiltily at his side, but continued storming down the hall. By now several of the maids were watching us curiously.

"I changed my mind," I said, facing them. "Everyone has an extra week of vacation – starting _now_. Get out!" I barked, watching them scurry away.

"And as for you," I said, looking at Vernon, "you're fired."

"Silvia – "

"Tell Ronan that if he wants to know what's going on in my life, he can ask me himself. He doesn't have to send one of his lap dogs to spy on me."

Vernon shook his head. "You have no idea what is happening."

I laughed loudly once. "Exactly! All I know is strange shit keeps happening to me, and Ronan just left me here to figure it out on my own. Two months," I said, holding up two fingers for emphasis. "And not a word from him, but he _clearly_ has time for you."

Vernon's face hardened. "I know this may be _hard_ for you to understand, but he is far too busy to write love letters and concern himself with the feelings of a Terran female," he said, stopping as his face contorted with pain. He took a short breath. "Ronan is not human – he is Kree. You should consider it an honor he even sent me after you."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, it's a huge honor." I muttered, walking away. "And don't patronize me, Vernon. I know he's far from human – I learned that the first day I met him." The memory of him breaking my finger and throwing me across the room was still fresh in my mind. My finger suddenly throbbed with phantom pain as I remembered the distinct sound of my bone snapping.

"I'm not leaving. I have orders – "

I shook my fists and stomped back over to him. "If you're not out of my house within five minutes, I swear I will call SHIELD on your ass. They would just _love_ to get their hands on someone like you," I said with a satisfied smile.

He smiled back, though it was more of a grimace. "And you."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I said, eyeing him suspiciously.

"I've seen SHIELD's records. You report me, and they'll bring you in too. They see you as dangerous."

"Dangerous?" I exclaimed. "I haven't even done anything dangerous."

"In their eyes, anything different is a threat," he said, growing quiet. "They also have your DNA."

My cloud of anger slowly dissipated. "Fuck," I groaned, rubbing my forehead. "Well, how do I get it back?"

Vernon shook his head, disappointment heavy in his eyes. "It's too late. The sample has already been tested. They know you're not simply human."

I slowly sank down into the chaise lounge next to me, feeling as if a heavy stone now rested in my stomach. "But… I look normal. See?" I said, pointing at my eyes. Vernon's eyes became heavier with thought as he glanced back and forth between my eyes and my hands. He inhaled sharply with pain and sat down on the sectional across from me.

"What happened?" He asked as his eyes rested on my modified hand.

"Honestly, I don't know." I shrugged. "I blacked out and woke up with it," I said, staring at it as well.

Vernon's frown deepened. "This is terribly wrong, Silvia."

"Yeah, no shit," I sarcastically replied.

Vernon remained uncomfortably silent sitting across from me. He shook his head and sighed heavily before looking down at his torso. "I think you broke a rib." I watched as he pushed his fingers into his side, tracing the side of his ribcage. "Or two," he chuckled quietly, stopping as it seemed to cause him more pain.

He was effortlessly making me feel like the biggest bitch in the world. "I'm sorry," I said, frowning as I realized how badly I hurt him. "You'll heal quickly though, right? Isn't that a Kree thing?"

He smiled softly. "Yes, it is."

There was too much on my mind to sit still, so I began aimlessly pacing the room, thinking quietly to myself. Vernon remained on the couch, occasionally grunting with pain as he rested with his eyes closed. When I walked past him for the hundredth time, I caught him peeking at me through one eye.

"Is your name really even Vernon?"

He smiled softly. "Yes," he said with a pause, "but others know me by a different name."

My curiosity kept me standing still. "Well, what is it?" I pressed.

"Mar-Vell."

"Vernon Mar-Vell," I grinned, unable to hide my amusement. Almost every Kree I met so far had a similar sounding name. "You guys are fond of two-syllable words, huh?"

Vernon returned the smile. "Well, _you_ are half-Kree," he said. "Perhaps it's time you join us and change your name."

I snorted. "Yeah, right."

As the room once again became filled with suffocating silence, I found myself biting my nails, a habit I always did when I was abnormally worried. Vernon's own expression became serious as he watched me continue my frantic pacing. The hardwood floors were already beginning to lose their shine.

"What am I going to do?" I said, sighing loudly. When Vernon didn't answer me, I paused to look at him.

With his eyes now fully wide and alert, he focused on the expansive window and rose from the couch, wincing slightly as he did so. Now feeling alert myself, I quickly walked behind him as he strode over to the wall, looking out into the city with hawk-like attention. I followed his stare and squinted curiously as I caught a brief, white flash on one of the rooftops nearby.

"We're being watched," he grunted. I continued staring at the rooftop with growing annoyance. I couldn't see anyone, but judging from Vernon's intense stare I knew there had to be.

I tapped the window casually. "I made these windows reflective for a reason. They're photo-proof. No one can see through them – not even SHIELD – I made sure of that," I muttered resentfully. Vernon remained tense, staring madly into the bright afternoon sun.

I touched his arm. "Vern – Marvell? Oh, whatever – did you hear me? We don't have to worry about SHIELD seeing us in here."

His worried expression was making my pulse rise. I looked out the window once again, and immediately saw another flash of light. It appeared to be some kind of reflection.

"It's not SHIELD," he said in a solemn tone.

"Well, who is it then?" I asked anxiously, watching him narrow his eyes. Even with his enhanced vision, I knew he couldn't see perfectly at this far a distance.

I ran over to the coffee table and grabbed the pair of binoculars – which up until this point were used solely for decoration – and quickly handed them over to him. He held them up to his eyes and almost immediately the corner of his mouth twitched, as if he were surprised and disappointed at the same time.

"What is it? What do you see?" I urged, looking between him and the rooftop.

"Nothing," he said quietly before lowering his hands. When I raised my eyebrows at him, he returned the binoculars to me and nodded at the window. When I looked there was nothing there, just as he said.

"Jesus," I exhaled tiredly. "Don't scare me like that." He glanced once more at the window before meeting my gaze.

"It was not my intention to frighten you. I thought I saw…" he trailed off, shaking his head. "Forget it. I need to rest. I will return to you this evening," he said, turning to leave the room.

I took a step forward. "What about SHIELD?" I asked. "If they know I'm different, what am I supposed to do?"

He stared at me with tightly drawn lips, looking tired. "Stay out of sight," he said seriously. I reluctantly nodded and lowered my eyes to the floor, but then another more troubling thought crossed my mind.

"Hey," I said, stopping him again. He looked at me expectantly, stopping at the end of the hall.

"Do you think Ronan is mad?" I asked. Vernon immediately shook his head, but I couldn't tell if he was trying to say 'No, of course not' or rather, 'Yes. Why even ask?' When he left without another word, I knew it was the latter.

I slouched disappointedly as he left me alone to my thoughts.

Just as I turned on the television, something in the corner of my eye caught my attention. I stared uneasily at the same rooftop just in time to catch the flashing light we had seen minutes earlier. It was gone before I could blink. I shuddered nervously and grabbed a pillow nearby. "Karen, close the blinds," I ordered quietly. A few seconds later I was sitting alone in the dark, scared of a little light.

* * *

My stomach rumbled hungrily as I stared into the contents of my fridge. It was completely packed with vegetables, fruits, meats, and other fresh ingredients, but nothing that could be quickly thrown together. That was the downside of having a full-time chef my whole life. I never learned how to properly cook. After burning every meal I attempted to make, I gave up and spent the rest of the day eating grapes and PB&amp;J sandwiches, but now I was out of bread. So here I was, standing in my kitchen like a lost, sad child.

"Karen, I'm hungry." _God, I'm pathetic._

"There are sixteen restaurants within walking distance. Would you like me to make a reservation?"

"I'm not supposed to leave the house. I need something delivered."

"One moment." I sat down at the kitchen bar and watched as a list of restaurants appeared on the wall nearby. "There are two four-star restaurants nearby which provide delivery services."

I was on the phone less than a minute later with a friendly host, ordering a steak and salad. "And how long will it take to get here?" I eagerly asked.

"Approximately one hour."

My stomach growled angrily in response. "An hour," I sighed.

"Yes. I apologize for the delay, ma'am. We have several orders ahead of you." The host nicely replied. "Name, please?"

I rested my chin in my hand and slouched. "Alamanni," I answered tiredly. There was a long pause on the other end.

"As in _Silvia_ Alamanni?" The host asked excitedly.

"Yes, that's me," I said, eliciting an excited gasp from her.

"Wow – um – hi! Sorry. I can't believe I'm talking to you."

"So… is it still going to take an hour?" I said in a hopeful voice.

"I'm sorry Miss Alamanni, there's nothing I can do about the wait time. My manager strictly enforces a first-come, first-served policy. However," she said, her voice growing higher, "you can always come _here_! I'll put you on the waiting list so by the time you arrive your table will be ready."

The rumbling in my stomach was making it hard for me to resist her offer. Still, Vernon's warning left me hesitant to leave the house.

"But I'm not – " I began.

"Miss Alamanni," she pleaded, "I know you're new in town, so let me give you some advice. Anywhere that delivers is going to have _at least_ an hour long wait time, especially on a Friday night. If you come here I can have you eating within the next twenty minutes."

"OK, OK," I relented with a laugh. "I'm on my way."

I quickly slipped on a black dress and matching Miu Miu flats, with a silk scarf neatly wrapped around my hair and face. If the scarf wasn't enough to fool passing pedestrians, then the high collar on my coat would do the trick. _Audrey Hepburn would be proud_, I thought as I gazed into the mirror. As I snuck past the hall which led to Vernon's bedroom, I contemplated waking him up and informing him that I was going out, but I figured he would only object to me leaving the house. Slowly and carefully, I tiptoed my way to the elevator to prevent the heels of my shoes from clacking against the marble floor. As soon as I reached the lobby a great sigh of relief left my lips, making me feel all the more ridiculous for sneaking out of my own home.

There was a slight breeze in the streets, heavy with an aroma that smelled of gasoline and grease. The maple trees outside my building were now basking in a warm shade of orange. Their leaves marked the sidewalks with the beautiful colors of Fall. To my right, an endless line of taxis honked impatiently at other drivers and pedestrians to get out of their way. Hordes of people cluttered the sidewalks, traveling in groups from one place to another, laughing loudly and stumbling with drunkenness. And here I was, a lone wolf, walking through Hell's Kitchen by myself on a Friday night.

I was three blocks short of the restaurant, now the only person within sight, and jerking at the smallest sound. About two blocks back, I took a wrong turn and stupidly decided to cut through an alleyway to save time. The newly-painted graffiti and thick stench of ammonia rattled my nerves more than I cared to admit. I found myself nearly jogging halfway through the dimly lit passage. I was less than ten yards away from the main street when I heard a scream come from the side alley I just passed.

It was a short, piercing cry, obviously belonging to a woman. I froze in the alley and halfway turned, deciding whether or not I should intervene myself or call the cops. A second later, her muffled cries began echoing back to me. It was a no-brainer. I had to help her.

My concern for the woman transformed into chilling fear as another scream erupted into the night. _I know that pain. _That terror. It was a sound I knew far too well. I pushed my legs harder until I felt the wind rip the scarf from my head.

When I found her, she was pinned to the ground by two burly men, both easily weighing over two-hundred pounds. They were behind a dirty, old dumpster hidden from the public eye and too far away for the woman's screams to be heard from any passing pedestrian. Luckily for her, I was no ordinary person.

As I came closer and heard their malicious taunting and the woman's desperate pleas, my rage became so blindingly hot I could feel my skin grow warm. The hot, prickling sensation grew to become that familiar buzzing that only came with my power. The fatter of the two men stopped in his effort to remove the woman's clothes and looked up with a stupid look on his hairy face. When he saw me he immediately scrambled backwards with a frightened yelp, startling his ugly friend in the process.

"What the fuck is this?" The fat one yelled, pointing at my hands. The other man's eyes grew larger by the second as he took me in. I followed their gaze and found my hands were glowing a pretty shade of yellow.

"Well that's different," I casually thought aloud. A second later I heard the hammer of a gun being pulled back. I slowly looked up, hoping to find I had just imagined the sound.

_Nope. Definitely real - and it has a silencer. That's just great._

"You don't want to shoot me," I said in a calm, cool tone.

"Bitch, shut the fuck up! You're one of those freaks we've been hearin 'bout. I knew they were real," he said, nudging his friend. "I'd be doin' the world a favor by killin' you."

"Do you know who I am?" I asked, frowning with disbelief.

"I don't give a fuck who you are you, bitch. You're _dead_ now," he said, raising his gun. "And when I'm done loading your ass with lead, I'm gonna give your friend my other load," he sneered, grabbing his crotch.

My face curled up in disgust. "Yeah, that's not going to happen," I coldly replied. The fat man stepped forward until I felt the cool end of the silencer press against my forehead.

"Oh, yeah?" He revealed his yellow stained teeth with a smile. "How 'bout you watch? Go on, Vinny." His friend grossly chuckled as he approached the woman again.

With my eyes locked on the man in front of me, I remained perfectly still, waiting for my opportunity to make a move. A bullet to the head would certainly kill me – well, at least I _think_ it would kill me – and I didn't feel like testing that theory out tonight. I would be of no use inside a body bag.

I patiently waited for him to blink or look away. There. Time to move. One short second later, the man was on the ground unarmed and unconscious with me lying on top of him. I barely tackled him, but apparently the fall was too much for him. A few seconds later a red trail of watery blood began pooling in his ears and trickling onto the concrete.

_Oh fuck, I think he's dead. Oh fuck. Shit!_

The other man, AKA Vinny, stood up with a dazed look on his face. "You – you killed him," he stuttered with shock. I began shaking my head, not wanting to believe it myself. Now looking like a rabid dog, he reached underneath his jacket and revealed a shiny .44 Magnum. There was no silencer on this one, so the sound would undoubtedly draw attention. Unfortunately, I would be dead long before the cops arrived.

It was in the air pointing right at me before I could make a move. He was too far away, and there was nowhere to hide. I closed my eyes and prayed – for what, I'm not sure – but all I saw was a purple, handsome face. A thunderous, loud crack filled the alley as the gun was fired; only, I felt no bullet pierce my skin.

I opened my eyes out of confusion and found Vinny pushing himself up from the ground, now staring furiously at the other woman. "You fucking cunt!"

She was standing over him, now backing up with her hands raised in the air. _She pushed him_, I thought, tearing up with gratitude. _She saved my life_.

She glanced nervously at me. "Kill him," she pleaded in a strange British accent.

I couldn't exactly blame her for wanting him dead, but I wasn't about to start killing on demand. However, that didn't mean I couldn't hurt the bastard. Now that his attention was no longer focused on me, I had my chance to take him out.

My hands began glowing yellow once more, buzzing with wonderful, unchartered power. Before his index finger could push down on the trigger, bright blasts of energy ejected from the palms of my hands, hitting him directly in the chest. He was sent flying into the wall behind him, instantly rendering him unconscious. I stared at my hands in awe, and then walked over to the man to inspect the damage. Once I was certain he would not be getting back up, I lowered my hands and hesitantly made eye contact with the woman, who was wearing an expression of astonishment and admiration. Now that I was actually looking at her, I immediately noticed how stunning she was.

Long black hair fell across her shoulders in wavy ringlets, framing her naturally beautiful face and deep, green eyes. She was easily a head taller than me, and her supermodel-type figure was making me feel dumpier by the second.

I ran my hands through my hair and inspected the ground around me, trying to figure out what the hell I was going to do with this bloody mess. With a tired sigh, I kneeled down next to the man I killed and stared numbly at the blood still flowing out of his ears. My thoughts of running away to our island in the French Polynesia were interrupted by another gunshot.

"What the hell?" I shouted, spinning around. Vinny's brains were now splattered all across the pavement. The woman was aiming the gun at his pulverized head, muttering unintelligibly with rage.

"Fuck," slipped from my mouth more than a few times. _OK, so never mind about the cops._

She pulled her gaze upwards, appearing as if she forgot I was here. In the blink of an eye her entire demeanor changed. With wide, frantic eyes she dropped the gun and backed away from the body. "Oh no," she whispered, covering her mouth.

"It's going to be OK," I said, though I felt the exact opposite. I was absently nodding my head, as if the gesture itself would make everything fine.

She pointed at the pieces of brain scattered across the concrete. "I just killed a man," she said slowly, as if I didn't understand. The truth was I understood better than anyone else

I glanced nervously behind me, making sure there was no one on the street to witness this fucked up situation. I held my breath and listened carefully for the sound of sirens, knowing it would only be a matter of minutes before this place was swarming with cops. Not wanting to waste any more time, I searched the men's pockets and collected their wallets, quickly throwing them in my purse. With one hand wrapped around the fat man's ankle and the other holding my phone, I pressed speed dial and called Vernon as I dragged the body next to the dumpster.

"Hello?" He answered, clearly confused.

"Hey, it's me. No time to explain. Meet me on the corner of 10th Avenue and West 51st Street. Bring the car, a dress, gasoline, and uhh," I hesitated, glancing at the woman, "a tranquilizer," I added quietly so she wouldn't hear me.

"Preferably before the cops get here," I said, prompting him to sigh.

"On my way," he said before hanging up. With no effort at all, I raised the man's body over my head and unceremoniously threw him into the dumpster.

"What are you doing?" The woman asked as I began collecting the other man.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" I said, trying not to get his blood on me. Damn it, too late. When I finished disposing of his body, I pulled a mirror from my purse and reapplied my lipstick and perfume.

"You're awfully casual about murder," she said, watching me closely.

"This wasn't murder, it was self-defense," I snapped, suddenly feeling defensive. "Besides, you're the one who killed an unconscious man so don't try to make me feel bad here." Her face tightened with unease.

"You're right," she said, once again appearing upset.

"They had it coming," I muttered, unsure of what to say. She wrinkled her brow and stared at uncertainly. After a brief, awkward silence I spoke up again. "What's your name?"

The corner of her mouth twitched, but she paused with a thoughtful look. "Sif," she finally answered, smirking slightly as she did so.

"So… unique," I replied, unsure of why she was smiling. "I'm –"

"Silvia," she answered for me. I nodded and shrugged, not surprised at all. Most people know who I am. This comes in handy when I forget my ID at a bar, but right now it was anything but helpful.

Much to my relief, Vernon arrived a few seconds later, coming to a screeching halt in the middle of the alley. The woman took a step backwards but I held tightly onto her arm, keeping her in place.

He approached us in quick, long strides, holding one hand behind his back. "What is the meaning of this?" Sif demanded, glaring angrily at him.

"You're going with him back to my place until this gets sorted out," I said, hoping my calm tone would rub off on her. Panic flashed across her features as he came closer.

"_That_ is not necessary," she said, nodding at his hidden hand. _How does she know what he has?_ Vernon and I glanced uneasily at one another, but I quickly returned my attention to the woman. If she was cooperative then there was no reason to sedate her.

"Fine," I sighed, "then get in the car." She remained still. "Now," I said more impatiently.

With a resentful scowl, she briskly walked to the car and slammed the door behind her. Vernon hit a button on his key chain, instantly locking her inside. He flashed a disapproving look in my direction before approaching the trunk.

"Why did you ask me to bring this?" He said as he roughly threw an ivory, lace dress at me. I rolled my eyes as it landed on my face, but chose not to say anything smart. If anyone deserved to be angry at this moment, it was him.

He was walking over to the dumpster with a metal canister in his hand, staring at me expectantly.

"I have a dinner reservation," I answered, already changing into my new dress. When I caught him shaking his head with obvious disapproval, I couldn't help but defend myself.

"It would be suspicious of me to not show up," I exclaimed. Again he shook his head, apparently too disappointed for words. _This is what I get for trying to do good_, I thought as he tossed something into the dumpster, causing it to blaze with unearthly, blue fire. Without a second glance, he seized my old dress and returned to the car, hastily speeding away as the sound of sirens began filling the air.

Before any smoke residue could collect on my clothes, I gathered my purse and ran through the alley, continuing onwards to the restaurant. I found my scarf from earlier and again wrapped it around my head, successfully covering my disheveled hair. I arrived at the restaurant five minutes later, appearing perfectly normal but feeling like a total wreck on the inside.

After being greeted by the excited host and signing a few autographs, I sat down for my meal and silently worried about my guest waiting for me back home. I didn't regret saving her, but I should have been more careful. It was idiotic for me to intervene when I didn't even know what was happening with my own body. My anatomy as well as my powers were constantly changing and I had no idea how to control them. It also troubled me how interwoven my emotions and powers had become. This made going out in public especially dangerous. I just killed a man without even trying. At that moment, Ronan's warning resonated throughout my mind: "Do not allow your emotions to determine your fate."

With a sarcastic snort, I finished the bottle of wine on my table and paid for my meal. Upon exiting the restaurant, the hostess kindly flagged down a taxi for me and helped me into the small car.

"Take care, Miss Alamanni," she softly said, closing the door behind me. With a tired laugh, I leaned my head back and waved my hand out the window to say goodbye. With the wind blowing through my hair, I closed my eyes and imagined I was flying in the air.

"We're here," I heard the taxi driver announce suddenly.

"That was fast," I said, opening my heavy eyes. I rummaged through my purse until I found my wallet, and placed a handful of bills into the impatient driver's hand. My doorman opened the car door for me and guided me into the building, allowing me to hold onto his arm.

By the time I reached my floor, all I wanted to do was pass out on my bed and sleep forever. Unfortunately, Vernon was not going to allow that to happen without a proper scolding. The elevator doors had barely parted when I heard his voice, steaming with resentment.

"Two days in your service, and already I am an accomplice to murder."

"Shouldn't you be used to that working for Ronan?" I slurred, dropping my purse onto the floor.

"The Hala you say," he growled as I grabbed ahold of the wall. "Come on." His hand was holding onto my upper arm, pulling me away from the wall and down the hall. With slow, deliberate steps he led me to my bedroom, sighing every now and then when I stumbled in my drunken state.

As we passed by one of the guest bedrooms, he nodded and said, "I locked her in there." His tone suggested he was none-too-pleased with her, as if something had happened while I was gone. "I don't trust her."

"Well, she probably feels the same. We kind of kidnapped her."

"And whose fault is that?" He grumbled, glaring at me.

I remained quiet as he opened my bedroom door and helped me to my bed. He stopped by the door on his way out and said, "We will deal with her in the morning." I sensed there was more he wanted to say, but he turned the lights off and quickly left.

In my current state of mind, thinking about tomorrow was damn-near impossible. Unfortunately, my worries once again resurfaced as soon as the alcohol was clear from my system. My father's election was a week from now and if this were to leak to the public, he would lose the election and I would go to prison. Not just prison, SHIELD prison. If what Vernon said earlier was true, then that meant the government already knew I was half-alien, and it would only be a matter of time before they came knocking on my door. But it wasn't just my life at stake, Vernon was in trouble too. We couldn't keep this woman locked up forever, and we couldn't kill her.

_I don't know what to do._

With a sigh of resignation I rolled out of bed and tiredly trudged along the floor straight to my vanity. I snatched the glass bottle and angrily tapped one of the white, spherical pills of Nirvana into my palm. I was so eager to make my mind go blank, I swallowed the pill without anything to drink and ignored the bitter taste it left on my tongue. A minute later, I was knocked the hell out.

Unaware because I had drugged myself into a coma-like sleep, a dark figure slowly approached my bed, watching me with a wicked smile. Its hand brushed the tangled blonde hair away from my face, revealing my tear-stained cheeks.

"It's almost too easy."


	22. Part II: Chapter 6

_**Chapter song: Fly So Free by Luella &amp; the Sun**_

* * *

The early light of dawn cast the kitchen in a light shade of blue, making it appear cooler than usual. There was a stillness in the air that only came with the beginning of Winter. The chill crept through my bones, seeping into my skin, and aching its way into my already tired mind. Last night was horrible. I was once again swept into an endless cycle of traumatizing flashbacks, all at the hands of Ronan. When I thought it couldn't get any worse, I watched my mother become engulfed in a sea of flames. I could still hear her agonized screams as bright as day. My dreams were becoming worse every night, and no amount of pills could stop them.

I was sitting at the barstool playing with the skin of an overly-ripe banana when I heard Sif's melodic voice cut through the silence.

"Good morning, captor."

I rolled my eyes and slouched even further into my lousy posture. "Don't call me that."

"But it's true. I am your captive; therefore, you are my _captor_." As she spoke her British accent became more prominent, full of an elegance I could only dream to imitate. She walked around the room, picking up objects every now and then to inspect them and placing them down with the same unamused look.

I ignored her comment and allowed my curiosity to indulge. "Where are you from?" I asked, watching a smile tug at her red lips. She really was beautiful.

"Far, far away," she said, now smelling one of my candles. Her expression wrinkled into one of distaste. "A different world compared to here," she muttered to herself.

"How's that?" I asked irritably. Judging by the way she glanced uneasily at me, I don't think she intended for me to hear that last part.

After a second she laughed lightly and smiled. "It was only a joke." Her hips rocked slowly from side to side as she made her way into the kitchen, her eyes never breaking from mine. There was something about her that pulled me in and set my teeth on edge at the same time.

"So, tell me. How long am I to be your guest?" She asked. Her tone was an impressive combination of amusement and annoyance.

"As soon as I'm sure you're going to keep your mouth shut," I replied, mimicking her tone. Her smile deepened.

"There is nothing I can do nor say to assure you of that," she said matter-of-factly. "But tell me, why would I announce a crime I myself am involved in?" I frowned and looked away, trying to think of a good response. I didn't have one.

Sif shuffled in her stool next to me. Her hand hovered over the fruit basket before us, her pale fingers danced in the air with silent contemplation until landing on a bright red apple. A loud crunch filled the room as she bit into the juicy fruit. My mouth watered in response, and soon I was eating an apple as well. Sif swiveled her stool in my direction, propped her face in the palm of her hand, and watched me with a curious expression. All the while, she continued eating her apple with a grace I had never seen before. Compared to her I ate like a starving pig.

She leaned in ever so slightly and let her eyes wander across my face. "Sleep well?" she asked with a cheeky smile.

I blinked once and swallowed my bite. My unease must have been apparent because she immediately retracted and cleared her throat as one does when they are feeling uncomfortable.

"You appear tired," she said, now completely serious.

"Thanks," I mumbled, pursing my lips with annoyance.

"I meant no offense," she said, her eyes lingering on my profile. "Would you like to talk about it?"

I shook my head and placed the half-eaten apple down, my appetite seemingly vanished. Just as my sullen thoughts began to resurface, Vernon entered the kitchen and placed himself on the opposite side of the kitchen island. He gave me a reassuring nod and returned his gaze to Sif, who was now openly smirking once again.

"What is so funny?" I grumbled, unable to contain my irritation.

"He didn't tell you?" She asked. Her eyes flickered back and forth between Vernon and I, growing narrower by the second. "I see," she said, lowering her gaze.

Vernon shifted on his feet and remained quiet. I stared expectantly at him, but when he avoided eye contact with me I focused my attention on Sif again. I patiently waited for her to finish her bite of apple, but after a few seconds I realized she was chewing at an abnormally slow space, purposely delaying her response. Finally, she was done.

"Last night as I was being kindly escorted into my cell, your brute of a friend tore my blouse in half," she said coolly. "Oh, don't worry," she quipped, seeing the horror on my face. "It was an accident, I'm sure."

"Vernon!" I gasped, my eyes now wide with shock. As I looked closer at Sif's flowy, green blouse, I noticed it had been tied together in the middle, right between her breasts.

I thought my eyes were going to pop out of my head. "Why would you do that?"

"It wasn't like that," he growled.

I gave him an incredulous look. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I need to speak to you alone," he said, emphasizing the last word. He marched out of the room and glanced behind his shoulder to make sure I followed. Sif shrugged her shoulders, apparently not too upset about the incident.

I hesitantly joined Vernon who stopped in front of the large window, arms crossed and lips tense. When I held my hands out in an expectant manner, he took a deep breath and regarded me closely.

"She was a man last night, not a woman," he started, his expression completely serious. I vaguely noticed my mouth was hanging open. He stopped and rubbed his eyes, visibly frustrated.

_Is he losing his mind? _

"Listen," he said with more determination. "I spent decades mastering the art of disillusionment. The Kree already have a natural immunity to magical enchantments. I know what I saw," he urged.

I didn't know anything about Vernon, but I was seriously starting to doubt his sanity. The simple fact that he works for Ronan kept me from saying so aloud. "So," I hesitantly began. "She was a man, and you decided to tear her shirt off?" I tried to keep my face as placate as possible.

"I was trying to prevent him from turning away. You see, once an illusion has been disrupted, it cannot be unseen. The enchantment faulted for less than a second, but it was enough time for me to see him. By the time I managed to see his face again, he had already recast the spell."

"And what did she say when you asked her about it?" I asked calmly.

He gritted his teeth and reluctantly looked away. "She locked the door before I could interrogate her." _Thank God_, I thought to myself. _In less than twenty-four hours she's been attacked by three men._

"Well, she doesn't seem too upset about it," I said, remembering the smirk on her face. "What else happened?" _There is something missing from this story._

He took a deep breath and locked his eyes onto mine. "I returned to her room later that evening and…" he stopped and swallowed uneasily. I raised my eyebrows at him, silently urging him to finish the story.

"She was waiting for me… unclothed," he finished quietly.

"Did you have sex with her?" I asked loudly. He immediately recoiled and shook his head.

"No, of course not. It was an act, don't you see? She – he – was trying to maintain his cover. I left when I realized what its intentions were," he said with a hint of disgust.

I swallowed uneasily and stared at him, trying not to show the worry I felt for him. He was seriously suffering from some strange delusions, and I sure as hell was not equipped to deal with them.

"I saved her from getting raped last night," I said quietly. Vernon's gaze hardened at my words. "I don't think that was an act."

"I know what I saw," he said more stubbornly. "I must meet with a fellow colleague and acquire the proper tools."

"Tools?" I inquired, feeling more frightened by the second.

"Yes. A truncheon will do," he said in thoughtful manner. Upon seeing my confused face he further elaborated. "It erases memories, and it will reveal the sorcerer's true identity." I nodded slowly, unsure of what to say.

_I think I hit him harder than I realized._

"If we leave tonight we can make it to his station by tomorrow morning," he said, rubbing his chin.

"How about you go and I stay here with her," I said, hoping he wouldn't argue. I was not about to submit that poor woman to his irrational behavior and weird, Kree technology. Seeing that he was about to argue I spoke before he could. "Come on. You don't think I can handle her?"

"We don't know how dangerous _it_ is," he said, his voice deadly quiet.

I nodded somberly and played along. "If she really is dangerous she'll fight us, and that could result in a major news story my family _really_ doesn't need right now," I said, rubbing my brow. I looked up to catch him looking around thoughtfully, clearly losing his resolve.

"If you leave me alone with her," I said slowly, "she won't be suspicious of us." I saw the realization flicker in his eyes before he began slowly nodding himself.

"Yes, I see," he said, his voice picking up. "We will have the advantage. It is unaware that we know. We will keep it that way."

I nearly sighed with relief.

Shortly after, Vernon slipped out the door quietly and I was left alone with Sif. With the house staff gone for the week I didn't have to worry about her being seen. When I returned to the kitchen, she was still sitting on the bar stool, staring expectantly at me.

"He seemed upset," she said seriously. When I remained quiet she gave me a prying look.

"Just a stomach bug," I lied. "I gave him the day off." Her expression remained unmoving as her eyes boar into mine. I rocked back on my heels once and looked around uncomfortably.

"OK. Let's get you some new clothes. Those have been through enough," I said finally. Sif slowly stood up and followed me through the house in silence.

Once inside my room, she stopped and said, "What do these carvings mean to you?" She was pointing to the dark wood wall. I paused in front of my closet door and maintained a straight face.

"Nothing," I said nonchalantly. "They're just random lines." Sif traced her fingers along the cracks, moving her lips along with it as if she were reading them.

I began quickly pulling clothes out of the closet and piling them on my bed, hoping to distract her from whatever the hell she was doing. I threw the last stack down harder than normal, causing her to look up. She smirked and walked over to the bed, running her fingers along the fabric in a careful, inspecting manner. She selected a handful of dresses, all of which were couture and one of a kind. _She's weird, but she has good taste, _I thought as I returned the unwanted clothes to the closet.

When I reentered my bedroom I was surprised to find Sif standing stark naked in front of my full length mirror, holding one of my dresses up to her body. I stopped where I stood when my eyes settled on her bare back, which upon closer inspection was scattered with long, silver scars, some obviously still fresh. Her eyes met mine in the mirror, causing me to blush with embarrassment.

"Sorry," I muttered, walking over to my dresser. I pulled out several pairs of panties and bras, not needing to ask what size she wore. With my eyes glued on the floor I began making a beeline to the door, trying to give her some privacy.

"Stay," she said softly. "I could use your help." I fidgeted with my hands and backtracked my way into the room, sitting down on the chaise lounge in the corner. The sound of Sif humming quietly caused me to look up. She was wearing one of my favorite green dresses, unzipped so the trace of her spine could be seen. Even unfastened, it looked better on her than me any day.

I slowly walked up behind her and made a gesture to the zipper, causing her to smile. I remained quiet as I closed the back of the dress, noticing every raised line along the way. My finger brushed along one particularly painful-looking scar, and I immediately flinched, realizing my mistake.

"It's natural to be curious," Sif said softly, watching me closely. I remained standing behind her, unable to move.

"How did you get them?" I asked. Her cool eyes seemed to grow icier by the second.

"Surviving," she answered bitterly. "Something tells me you know what I speak of." That clenching, suffocating tightness returned to my throat.

With trembling fingers I unbuttoned the top of my nightshirt and slowly turned around, letting the fabric slip down my shoulders and back. From behind, I heard Sif inhale deeply. As silence filled the room I found myself growing more self-conscious by the second. I hastily pulled my shirt back up to hide the evidence of my torture, only to feel Sif's fingers prevent me from doing so. I paused with my back to her, not even breathing to make a sound. Then I felt her arms wrap around me from behind, incasing me like a warm, soft shell. The comforting embrace dissolved me of any discomfort I might have felt, because in that moment I felt safe. I didn't feel the need to be strong, or at least pretend to be. I was me, completely and utterly broken me. It wasn't until I felt her arms tighten around me that I realized I was crying.

"Oh, God. I'm sorry," I whispered. I quickly wiped my wet, salty face and pulled away from her. "I don't usually cry in the arms of a stranger."

She gently tucked a piece of hair behind my ear and said, "Even the strongest link is nothing without a chain." I raised an eyebrow at her, not understanding the analogy. With one hand on my shoulder, she leaned in and looked me seriously in the eyes.

"You're lonely," she said quietly, her voice full of understanding.

"I'm – I'm not – " I began.

"I am too," she said, making me stop. The vulnerability in her eyes had me at a loss for words. I looked away after only a few seconds, unable to face the same look I had seen in my own eyes for so long.

"Come on," I mumbled grudgingly. "We need a drink." I grabbed ahold of her wrist and led her up to the rooftop.

For hours we sat by the poolside watching the steam rise from the water, sipping on the best wine money could buy. It didn't take me long to discover Sif had a tolerance that would put Ronan to shame. We were on our fifth bottle of wine yet she remained perfectly composed and upright. If it weren't for the gleam in her eyes I would have suspected she was completely sober. I on the other hand was nowhere near sober – nor did I appear to be so – and Sif was becoming more inquisitive by the minute. I didn't mind though because I enjoyed conversing with someone other than Vernon – Marvell – whatever I was supposed to call him.

Our conversation started off light and innocent, like any might sound with a stranger. I learned her favorite color is green. She enjoys horseback riding, chess, and reading anything she can get her hands on. She could speak over a dozen languages, including some I couldn't recognize. For a while we made a game of it. She would ask me a question in another language – French, German, Russian, Spanish, Italian – even Latin – and I would answer until I exhausted my vocab, much to her amusement. Despite her arrogant, pompous attitude I found her intriguing and genuinely enjoyed her company.

It wasn't until my ninth glass of wine that she asked the question I had been dreading all night.

"How long have you had your gift?" She asked quietly, this time in English. My hopes of her forgetting the other night were quickly dashed away. I guess you don't really forget someone shooting yellow blasts of energy out of their hands.

I looked up from my glass and stared at her. The smile which normally tugged at her lips was absent, now replaced with a serious look of concentration. With a sigh of resignation I leant back in my lounge chair and let my eyes wander across the skyline. Shades of orange and pink echoed throughout the city as the setting sun cast its light upon the abundance of skyscrapers. As I gazed upon the beautiful scene I couldn't help but remember the dream – or rather the nightmare – I had the other night. I found myself frowning as I recalled the images of blazing, blue fire and strange creatures flying through the air.

"I've upset you," Sif said regrettably.

"No," I said with a frown. "I was just thinking about a dream I had."

"It wasn't a pleasant one by the looks of it," she said, watching me carefully.

"No," I agreed. "The city was being attacked by aliens or something. It felt so real," I trailed off.

Sif paused. "Aliens?" She inquired, her voice low and quiet.

"Yeah, really ugly ones. They were tall and muscular – not like the kind you see in movies all the time. No, these were sophisticated," I muttered, trying to remember details. "They wore armor with gold and had these flying jet skis."

"Jet skis?" Sif asked confusedly.

"You know, like a motorcycle for water," I said with a frown. _How does she not know what a jet ski is?_

"What else?" She pressed.

"Their spaceships looked and moved like snakes. It was weird," I mumbled, returning to my wine.

"What happened?" She asked more urgently.

I glanced over at her and noticed how wide and anxious her eyes had become. I frowned uneasily and said, "The city was on fire. People were screaming. It was horrible."

Sif swallowed and relaxed a bit. "They were winning?"

"I don't know. I woke up," I muttered uncomfortably, looking out into the city again. "It was just a dream," I added dismissively.

"Yes, of course," she agreed quietly.

Sif remained unusually quiet for the next few minutes. More than once I peered at her through the corner of my eye, curious as to why she had all of a sudden stopped talking. Her eyes were narrowed deep in thought, and her fingers tapped anxiously on her glass. Suddenly, she looked over at me.

"So," she said more sternly. "How long have you had your gift?"

I rolled my eyes at her persistence. "Why does it matter?"

"It's quite obvious you're untrained," she said before taking a sip of wine. My lips tightened with annoyance. "I can help you," she added reassuringly.

This time I laughed openly at the idea, and Sif glowered in response. She straightened herself up and leaned closer in my direction. "Your gift is – "

"Stop calling it that!" I barked. "It's not a gift – it's a fucking curse."

Sif scoffed and shook her head with disbelief. "You're a fool if you truly believe that. I've seen what you can do – people would kill for such power."

"Well, not me. I've killed enough," I replied bitterly, and finished my wine. Before Sif could utter another word I stood and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, and headed for the stairs. "I don't want to talk about it anymore, got it?"

Only in the wine cellar did I allow myself to feel what I had been suppressing moments earlier. The faces of those I had killed were now solid and clear: Forezzo, Jul-Linn, fat-rapist man. Regardless of whether or not they deserved to die, their deaths weighed heavily on my heart. I was kidding myself to call what happened in the alleyway "self-defense" because those men didn't stand a chance against me. I was a murderer. How many more would die by my hands?

Just then I heard the cellar door close behind me, and I suddenly became aware of how wet my cheeks had become. As I wiped the tears from my face Sif calmly said, "I'm only trying to help you."

I meant to laugh but it came out sounding like a deranged wail. "How can _you_ help _me_?" I asked, spinning around. "If I recall it was me who saved your ass last night – not the other way around. This," I seethed, holding out my hands, "can't be controlled!" My hands began glowing yellow again, much to my dismay.

Instead of running away Sif stepped forward and extended her hands towards me. "Are you crazy? Get out!" I shouted, panicking as she began cornering me. I remembered what happened in the shower aboard the Dark Aster, and I had no intentions of letting that happen again. If I could render Ronan unconscious without even trying, there was no telling what would happen to a human.

"Listen to me," Sif urged, quickly grabbing ahold of my hands. "And breathe," she grunted. I tried to pull away, but her grip somehow remained tight on my hands. As I looked on in horror I could feel my hands draining the energy from inside her, filling me with more power by the second.

"You can – control – it – just – concentrate and breathe," she groaned in pain. "Focus on your breaths, and – imagine with each inhale – you are – drawing in the light – and with each – exhale – you are pushing out – the – darkness," she gasped, and dropped down to her knees.

"Let go," I begged. "I'm going to kill you."

Sif shook her head and looked up at me, anger in her eyes. "Concentrate," she growled deeply.

I closed my eyes and did as she said, breathing deeply and concentrating on drawing in the light. "Good," I heard her whisper almost immediately. A second later she sighed deeply with relief, causing me to open my eyes. When I found my hands had returned to normal, I couldn't help but gasp with amazement.

Sif remained on her knees slouched over with exhaustion and I quickly pulled her up, and grabbed ahold of the sides of her face.

"You're fucking insane. I could have killed you," I said, still in disbelief. She smiled faintly and placed her hands on my shoulders, leaning onto me for support. "Where did you learn that?"

She opened her tired eyes and smirked. "You aren't the first gifted individual I've come across."

Before I could ask another question, she closed her eyes and swayed on her feet, forcing me to catch her in my arms. If I didn't know any better I would have guessed she weighed five-hundred pounds, but I knew that couldn't be possible. I eyed her unconscious body uneasily and came to the conclusion that the wine was somehow affecting my strength. It still took little to no effort to haul her up the stairs and tuck her into bed.

When I entered my own bedroom, I picked up my cell phone and saw that I had several missed calls from my mother and a voicemail. I hit the play button as I pulled out a bottle of wine from the beverage cooler next to my bed, this time drinking straight from the bottle.

"Hey sweetie. Your father and I will be in town tomorrow afternoon. He's going to make one last speech before the election, and he really needs you there. You've made it clear how much you dislike going to these events, but this is important and it's the last one, I promise. We'll swing by at 1:00 to pick you up. Love you."

I tossed my phone onto the bed and took another large swig from the bottle, letting the burn dull the annoyance I now felt. It was almost laughable how my parents assumed I had nothing planned tomorrow, and even if I did they knew I would cancel for them. I guess when you don't have much of a social life your time is seen as easily expendable.

It was nearly midnight and I was sitting on the rooftop, once again looking at the city with a dreaded feeling in the pit of my stomach. For some reason I couldn't shake the suspicion that my dreams were more than just dreams. But what else could they be?

"Ready for lesson two?" I jumped from my chair at the sound of Sif's voice.

"Damn it," I hissed as I spilled wine down the front of my blouse. I shot her a dirty glare before yanking the sullied garment off and tossing it to the ground.

"Have you been drinking all night?" She asked with a frown. When I shrugged my shoulders she laughed coldly in response. "But of course you have."

"Hey – drop the bitch-ass attitude," I slurred. "You don't know me." Much to my embarrassment I tripped over my own feet and fell to the ground, crushing the wine bottle beneath me.

"You're quite possibly the most pathetic woman I have ever met," she said, eyeing me with distaste.

As if it couldn't get any worse, I began bawling like an idiot on the ground, shirtless and soaked in red wine. Sif grimaced and shook her head, disgust apparent in her features. I didn't understand why she was suddenly being so cold to me. I also didn't understand how she remained perfectly fine after killing a man, yet here I was drowning myself in wine, tearing myself apart over a would-be rapist.

I clumsily stood up and pointed a finger at her, suddenly angry. "You – you killed him but you aren't even… upset."

"Killed who?" She asked innocently, cocking an eyebrow.

I swayed where I stood, too shocked for words. Sif smiled widely in response and began casually strolling towards me, circling me like a shark. "You really are crazy," I whispered, suddenly feeling nervous.

Sif frowned with mock disapproval and wagged a finger at me. "I've warned you not to use that term. Ah yes, you don't remember. Silly me," she said, tapping her forehead with the palm of her hand.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I said, feeling sicker by the second.

She came to stand in front of me and proceeded to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, only this time it felt far less friendly than before. "I had hoped to proceed differently, believe me," she said, grabbing ahold of my shoulders. "But I'm on a bit of a time schedule."

With a grim smile she began forcing me backwards, much to my confusion. It wasn't until I glanced behind me I realized where she was directing me to, but by that time it was too late. We were less than a yard away from the guard rail and she showed no signs of slowing down.

"What are you doing?" I screamed, pushing against her. I became horribly confused and disoriented when I realized my pushing was having no effect. She proceeded to pick me up over her head, and that was when I really began freaking out.

"Lesson two: flight."

As I was thrown off the top of my roof, I became vaguely aware that Sif had been replaced with a man. Not just any man, but Loki.

_Of course._

* * *

_Author's Note: Heyyyyyyyy! I'm alive :) I know it's been forever since I updated. Life gets in the way - sorry! So, big developments. If you're a comic book reader or at least somewhat acquainted with them you might know where this is headed. If not, it's OK because this will all make sense to you soon. Silvia's character is going through a transitional phase right now... if you can't already tell she's developed a bit of an alcohol/drug dependence - Ronan won't be happy about that... or about her being pushed off of a roof. What is Loki thinking? He's insane. Honestly. But I love him. If you're confused... I promise, you won't be for long. I also promise Ronan will be making his appearance *very* soon. Some key delveopments needed to happen first before the lovely reunion - or not so lovely? :O _

_I'd love to hear your predicitons ;) Sorry again this update took so long. Don't hate me XD And I'm sorry for the cliffhanger. I didn't want to keep you guys waiting any longer. A few of you have even tracked me down on Instagram demanding an update - made me laugh every time :) Love you guys. _


	23. Part II: Chapter 7

_**Chapter song: Bridges by Broods**_

* * *

**Silvia**

Each second passed slower than the next as I fell closer to the pavement. I always believed falling to one's death would be the most peaceful, painless way to go, but now I knew better. The cool, night air whipped through my hair and clothes, making me feel as if I were being hit by thousands of twigs all at once. It was nearly impossible to keep my eyes open against the harsh wind, and even when I did I couldn't see much through the tears. I knew I was only seconds away from before becoming street spaghetti.

Again, I opened my eyes and I immediately regretted it: I was less than three-hundred feet away from the street, and accelerating at a terrifying speed. My human survival instinct kicked into full force, causing me to flail my limbs and scream uselessly in the air. In a last ditch effort I held my arms above my head and straightened them out, imitating every Superman move I had seen in movies. Nothing happened.

I pushed my hands out with more force, screaming in anger. Still, nothing happened. As the white lines of the street became solid and clear I abandoned my foolish attempts to fly. I decided the remaining seconds of my life should be spent wisely, so I began to do what everyone did when they were about to die: I prayed – but I didn't even have enough time for that as I spiraled into a grove of trees.

As a branch struck me painfully in the face, I blindly held my hands out in front of me, refusing to die by impalement. After that, everything became unusually still. If it weren't for the incessant pounding in my ears I would have thought I was dead. Upon opening my eyes I discovered I was very much alive – and floating only a few inches above the ground.

Any closer and my nose would have been rubbing against the grease-stained street. There was a sense of weightlessness throughout my body - mostly in my stomach - which could only be described as feeling like a newly discovered muscle being stretched for the first time. Something had awakened inside of me. After everything that happened to me, this new power shouldn't have been terribly surprising to discover, but I found myself shaking with disbelief. My body tingled with excitement and relief, together forming one of the greatest feelings in the world. I didn't want this wonderful sensation to ever go away.

Unfortunately, there was a cross-dressing psychopath waiting for me on my rooftop. Even the black, midnight sky couldn't hide his silhouette from my sight. He was a shadow in the night, tall and horned, and in that shadow a smile glistened. If I didn't know any better, I would have mistaken him for the Devil.

For only a brief second I considered flying away, but my curiosity stopped me – as well as my desire to punch him in the face. I searched deep within me and found that weightless feeling rooted in my stomach and began pulling on it with everything I have. I shot into the air like a spring, missing my rooftop by several hundred yards. With slow, careful pushes I managed to turn around and lower myself down next to my pool, directly in front of Loki. He stood perfectly still, smiling arrogantly with his hands clasping the scepter behind his back. There was no remorse in his expression, only the usual cockiness.

"What the fuck?" I growled.

He flashed his pearly whites. "I believe the words you're looking for are _thank you_," he corrected.

My face scrunched up into a scowl. "How did you know I could fly?" I asked.

"I didn't," he replied nonchalantly. "It was a bit of a hunch, really."

I was flying at him with my fist aimed directly at his smug, aristocratic face, unable to hold myself back any longer. Every punch I threw his way met empty air because at the last second he would teleport himself elsewhere, sometimes directly behind me or at my side.

"Oh, come now," he chided, appearing less than a yard away. "You remain perfectly unscathed."

"You could have killed me!" I screamed, missing him once again.

I growled with fury and stopped, spinning around to find where he went. A second later he materialized on the opposite side of the rooftop. My hands were already aiming and glowing before he had the chance to appear. His eyes grew wide as the yellow bursts of light flew his way, hitting him directly in the chest. I smiled with satisfaction as he seemingly dissolved into thin air, but the feeling was short-lived as I heard a faint chuckle behind me. Before I could blink he had me in a chokehold, forcing me to my knees. He was unbelievably strong.

His breath felt cold as he spoke softly into my ear. "Calm down, shh… that's it," he said, his lips grazing the soft flesh of my neck. "You could become something marvelous - a power unparalleled in this universe," he whispered excitedly. "You would like that, _wouldn't you_?" I once again attempted to break free of his hold, causing him to tighten his grip around me.

"I've given you the gift of flight," he said more loudly. He removed his hand from behind my neck and grabbed ahold of my wrist, holding the artificial hand up for display. "I've given you some _semblance_ of humanity."

I paused at the revelation. _So _he_was the one who gave me my new hand and foot? _My body shook along with his as he chuckled deviously.

"Yes, _this_ is my doing. I've released you from the confines of that Kree's pathetic technology. No more metal limbs. No more meddlesome gloves holding you back. I've given you the one thing you humans crave more than anything else - your freedom," he said, his voice suddenly transforming into one I knew too well.

A cold, sharp chill ran through me, shaking every nerve in my body as Ronan's voice began speaking in my ear.

"Can you say the same for your dear Ronan?" He said, his pale hand now strikingly blue.

_He's not Ronan… He's not Ronan…_

"What do you _want_?" I asked, growing more distressed by the second.

Loki loosened his hold around my neck, allowing me to breathe fully once again, while his other hand trailed along my arm and up my bare side. I watched his slow movements, constantly needing to remind myself that he was Loki, not Ronan, and that his beautiful blue skin and alluring voice were only an imitation. Even so, it was hard not to imagine it was Ronan who stood behind me, holding me close.

With his cool, soft cheek pressed against mine, I felt him smile. Goosebumps spread across my skin as one of his long fingers now grazed my collarbone. "I want…" he said slowly, "only to broaden your horizons."

I shook my head. "You want something _from_ me," I said, not believing him.

He continued his soft ministrations along my neckline, humming quietly in thought. "Yes," he said, causing me to stiffen with attention. "Only your consideration," he said amusedly. "Look at what I've taught you in a mere day. Imagine what we can accomplish together in a week, a month… _a lifetime_," he whispered, pausing for a second. "Under my instruction you will become an unrivaled force, truly untouchable." I hadn't realized I'd been holding my breath until his hand came to rest on my stomach, almost tenderly.

The thought of becoming invincible was tempting to say the least. The last few months of my life were proof enough that I needed to become more powerful to ensure I never suffered at the hands of another. Loki was offering me the chance to live without fear, without pain, and he was willing to give it to me at no cost – so he said.

My breath shook with excitement at the idea. "If what you say is true, then that means I'll be stronger than you one day," I said, watching as his hands returned to their normal color.

He pulled me harder against him, causing me to gasp. "What a clever girl you are," he said, no longer sounding like Ronan. I shivered slightly as his ice-cold hands dug into my bare flesh. "But if we're being perfectly honest… you already are."

I attempted to break free of his grip. He barely moved an inch. "It doesn't feel that way," I huffed.

"Your mind is clouded with fear and doubt," he said matter-of-factly. "So long as these exist within you, you will remain weak." I frowned as I recalled Ronan saying something similar to me once. "But that's where I come in," he added lightly.

I peered at him uneasily though the corner of my eye. "How so?" I asked. He released me without warning and I stumbled forward slightly, barely missing the pool.

"I can remove any unwanted memories – for example, those which cause you pain," he said, pausing for emphasis. When he saw my hesitation he stepped forward. "I can restore them at your will, when and _if_ you so wish."

"I still don't understand," I said hesitantly. Loki's smile grew thin. "What are you gaining by helping me?" For a brief second his emerald green eyes appeared to grow darker.

He shook his head slightly and smiled. "You doubt my intentions – "

"Can you blame me?" I asked, not hiding my sarcasm. "The last time I saw you, you ripped a man's eye out," Loki motioned to speak, but I cut him off. "I _know_ I've seen you since then, I just don't remember it," I said begrudgingly, looking at the hand he gave me. "It's not that I don't appreciate the gesture, but you didn't have to erase my memory of it."

"I am not responsible for your memory loss that night," he said, holding up a hand as I tried to speak again. "If you become my protégé, I will answer all of your questions and more. In the meantime," he said, walking backwards. "I suggest you keep my whereabouts unspoken."

"Wait," I said, stepping forward. "_If_ I agree… how will I find you?"

He smiled arrogantly. "Say my name. No, no…," he paused, his smile growing wider. "Scream it."

I rolled my eyes. "How do you know I won't turn you into SHIELD?" I asked, seriously contemplating the idea. All I heard was a harrowing chuckle, followed by a bright, blue flash of light. I was alone once again.

Inside, I grabbed my cell phone where I left it and quickly pulled up Tony's number. My finger seemed to hover over the call button for an eternity. I couldn't bring myself to call him, despite my better judgement telling me it was the right thing to do. _He probably won't answer anyways._

The louder, less sensible side of me recalled everything Loki had promised me, and though I knew better than to trust him… I believed him. I didn't want to keep living a life in the shadows, afraid of my own body and what others might do to me. It was true that he taught me more about my powers in a single day than anyone else had, and he wasn't trying to suppress them either. He wasn't afraid of how powerful I might become, unlike Ronan. Still, I knew there had to be a better way than to learn from Loki. He couldn't be trusted.

By the time morning came around, I decided that I couldn't hide this from Tony. That talk would have to wait until tomorrow though because today was my father's election. My parents would inevitably freak out if they knew what was going on, and if my father lost the election I would obviously get blamed for his defeat. They needed to be in pristine condition today because the entire world would be watching them.

Mar-Vell arrived home at the same time as I was leaving. The elevator doors opened to reveal him holding what I assumed to be the mysterious truncheon. It was a short metal stick with a thick brown handle and a square head. If I didn't know any better I would have guessed it was an expensive meat mallet.

He stepped through the doors, looking suspiciously from side to side. "Where is she?" He asked.

"Gone. You were right. She was Loki," I said, watching his eyes grow wide.

"Did he hurt you?" He asked, coming to stand in front of me. I shook my head, not wanting to mention the roof incident. Now was not the time to have that conversation – my parents were probably already downstairs waiting for me.

Mar-Vell gave me a confused look and held out his hands. "Well, what did he want?" He asked.

I licked my lips nervously. "Me," I said quietly. Mar-Vell's brow became creased with concern. "He offered to make me more powerful," I said slowly, aware of Mar-Vell's suspicious eyes. "I told him no, of course," I quickly lied, waving my hand.

Mar-Vell nodded hollowly. "And he just left?" He asked skeptically.

"Yep," I said, looking down at my watch. "My parents will be here any second. I should go wait for them in the lobby," I said, slowly backing away. Mar-Vell glanced uncertainly around the room, apparently at a loss for words. As his expression transformed from confusion to mistrust, the elevator doors were already in the process of closing.

Two of my father's Secret Service agents were waiting for me in the lobby. I quickly made my way to their black SUV and stepped inside, unsurprised to hear my parents bickering with one another. They barely even noticed my arrival as they continued arguing over the color of my father's tie. I cleared my throat to catch their attention and received a dismissive nod from my mother in response. I rolled my eyes and leaned back, already regretting my decision to come – not that I really had a say in the matter.

We arrived at the convention center forty-five minutes later, surprised to find the area already flooded with people. My father's Secret Service escorted us into the building with careful precision, watching for any potential threats. As we passed a group of protestors, one of the agents stood protectively at my side and I tried my best not to smile. My mother shot me a warning glance when she noticed my amusement.

An hour later, my father was giving his speech in front of thousands of people, all cheering and screaming his name with wild enthusiasm. The room was filled with bright flashes of light as thousands of civilians and photographers took their pictures. One particular flash of light caught my attention in a sea of twinkling cameras. It was different than the other lights. Slower and brighter, and it didn't have a direct path of light. It was more of a reflection, shining in different directions as if it were alive and moving. I had seen it before. Mar-Vell had seen it too, and it worried him. I waited for it to appear again, but it never did. My paranoia slowly subsided as I became lost in the excitement around me.

Just looking at the large, passionate crowd, one might assume my father had already won the election. Everyone told me my father would become the next president, but it wasn't until this moment that I actually believed them. My chest swelled with pride as I stood behind him, admiring his cool confidence. All those years of hard work were finally paying off for my parents – this was the moment they had been waiting for.

Thunderous applause filled the auditorium at the end of my father's speech. My cheeks were beginning to ache from smiling and my hands tingled as I tried to keep up with the crowd's applause. It was without a doubt the proudest moment of my life. My father glanced over his shoulder and gave me a wink – his silent way of saying 'I love you.' Not wanting to break tradition, I held my hand up to my mouth to blow him a kiss like I did when I was a child. With my eyes closed and my fingers pressed against my lips, I dramatically waved my hand back into the air – only to feel something wet splatter against my face, causing me to jerk with surprise.

Upon opening my eyes, I found the room had completely transformed in a matter of seconds. The crowd - which had been overwhelmingly happy a moment before - now looked like a terrified pack of mice, all scattering in different directions. If it weren't for my mother's painfully tight grip on my arm, I may not have heard her whimpering among the crowd's terrified screams. Now feeling sick to my stomach, I followed my mother's hollow gaze and found my father lying on the floor in a pool of blood. He had been shot in the head.

I was on the floor, crawling towards him out of instinct. I was vaguely aware of my mother's hands on my shoulders, squeezing desperately as I attempted to find a pulse. There was none. When I looked more closely at his head, I immediately recoiled and screamed. Nearly a quarter of his skull had been blown off, and the floor was covered in his brain tissue. I shook my head, not wanting to believe it was true. He couldn't be dead – he was just standing here, winking at me.

I couldn't seem to look away from him, not even as one of the Secret Service agents dragged me away. My mother and I were being rushed out the back of the building to one of the getaway cars. The commotion of car doors slamming and tires screeching jolted me back into reality, away from the horrifying image of my father's fragmented head. I sat numbly next to my mother who was shaking and whimpering from shock. With wide eyes, she stared straight ahead and held tightly onto my hand with surprising strength. Not knowing what else to do, I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her tightly. My embrace seemed to trigger something inside of her, because at that moment she began to wail.

"Mom," I cried, wishing I could take away her pain.

The car suddenly came to an abrupt stop, causing my mother and I to nearly fall out of our seats.

"What the hell is this?" The driver angrily shouted as he hit the steering wheel.

At the same moment, my eyes were drawn to a reflective wave of light outside the windshield. I watched in amazement as the light travelled upwards from the ground, revealing a pair of legs, followed by a torso and finally the head of a man. The light dissipated as the man's figure became complete. It was a cloaking device. The man was fair-skinned, ridiculously tall, and in his hands was a large weapon I had only seen once before - on Kree-Lar.

"Reverse!" I screamed in terror.

The driver stared at the dashboard in bewilderment. "I can't – the battery is dead," he said, cranking the ignition once again. It didn't even make a sound. I tried opening my car door, but it was locked.

"Unlock the doors!" I ordered.

"Nothing is working," the driver said, now looking terrified himself.

The agent behind me leaned in. "The car is bulletproof – it's safer in here than it is out there."

"No, we need to leave!" I yelled desperately as the Kree's weapon began to glow blue. The agents had no idea what was about to happen to them – and I didn't have time to explain.

I easily kicked my door open, sending it flying across the street into a store window. I glanced back at the Kree just in time to see a blue stream of light heading towards the vehicle. With inhuman speed, I grabbed ahold of my mother and propelled us out of the side of the car as it erupted with fire. The blast of the force sent us spiraling into the air, and even with my enhanced strength it was difficult to hold onto my mother. She screamed in my arms as blue flames licked at our heels, threatening to engulf us.

It took all of my focus to gain control of our momentum. I searched desperately for that weightless feeling, and when I finally found it I knew we would be safe. My mother gaped at me while I steered us upwards and away from the hellish, blue fire below. Nearby, I spotted a building with a rooftop for us to land on.

I was flying in its direction when a blue streak of light barely missed my face. The blasts of energy continued to surround us, causing me to fly around in aimless circles. Everywhere I turned sizzling bursts of bright, blue light threatened to take me down. I was blinded as one came dangerously close. The smell of burning hair caused me to look at my mother who I noticed had become suspiciously quiet. I blinked until I could see clearly again and found she was no longer conscious.

"Mom!" I screamed, attempting to shake her awake. She moaned painfully in response, but her eyes remained closed.

Now in full panic mode, I began flying faster than before in the direction of the nearest hospital. When more than five seconds passed without any shots being fired, I glanced uneasily at the ground, expecting to find the Kree soldier charging a new, horrible weapon. Much to my surprise, he was engaged in hand-to-hand combat with another man – and judging from his strength and durability he wasn't human either.

My mother moved in my arms, groaning and shaking from the pain. I felt completely helpless. I looked ahead and saw the hospital less than a hundred yards away. With the upmost care, I landed gently on the ground in front of the emergency room and began screaming for help. Nurses immediately rushed through the doors, strapped my mother to a gurney, and rolled her inside with impressive speed. I held tightly onto her hand and never looked away.

"It's going to be OK, Mom."

* * *

**Tony**

"Where the hell is that greasy, little bastard?" Tony shouted. There wasn't a camera in the world that hadn't been infiltrated by his face recognition software, yet here he was with nothing to show for it - only dozens of empty screens, mocking him in his failure. _Where the hell did Banner run off to?_

"Tony," Natasha said, making him jump with surprise.

Tony sighed loudly with irritation. "What did I say about sneaking up on me like that?" He asked, turning around to face her. _She's never a disappointing sight, that's for sure. _

"Sorry," Natasha smirked, tucking her short, red hair behind her ear. "Old habits die hard."

"You are truly terrifying at times," Tony said under his breath, returning to the screens.

"Any luck?" she asked, coming to stand next to him. Tony snorted in response, glancing over his shoulder as he heard the door open again. He suppressed a groan as Steve Rogers strolled in, star-spangled spandex and all.

"It's been weeks since Loki escaped," Steve said in his irritatingly boyish voice, "and we're no closer to finding him."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Tony replied sarcastically.

The tall, Norse god, Thor, walked in behind Steve. "Who is this Captain Obvious you speak of?" Thor asked.

Natasha chuckled as Tony leaned over his desk in frustration. "Listen guys," he said, "despite how stimulating our conversations are, I work best alone."

Steve's eyes narrowed. "We could accomplish more if we worked together, Tony."

"Really? Are any of you familiar with gamma ray signature algorithms?" He asked, looking around. The team members exchanged lost stares with one another. "No? I didn't think so. Now, if you don't mind…" he said, returning to his work._This would be a lot easier if Banner were still around, _he thought solemnly to himself.

He heard the doors open once again, but remained facing the screens. "Does anyone here understand the meaning of alone time?" He asked, not hiding his annoyance. "Natasha, if that's Barton, please knock him out again."

"Luckily for Barton," Nick Fury announced loudly behind him, "he's still in recovery." He glanced to his side and caught Natasha smirking at him, obviously enjoying the disapproval in Fury's voice. _Teacher's pet, _he thought as he spun on his heel to face the director of SHIELD. Right away he knew something was wrong.

"To what do we owe this unexpected pleasure?" He asked, unable to hide his disappointment.

With an irritated scowl, Fury proceeded towards the screens in quick strides, pushing both Tony and Natasha to the side in a not-so-gently manner. "Do any of you watch the news?" Fury asked as the screens became filled with live news feeds from all over the world.

"Oh, shit," Tony breathed. _Silvia._

The Avengers stood side by side in silence as they watched the unsettling footage. On one screen, Anthony Alamanni's head was being blown to pieces. On another, Silvia was flying _– __well that's new_. And on the last screen, it looked like a scene out of Fight Club: two men suffering from roid rage were beating the shit out of each other, using weapons Tony had only ever dreamed of creating. Could these be the aliens Silvia told him about?

"Tony," Steve said, breaking the silence. "Did you know anything about this? She is _your _friend after all."

Tony leaned back, folding his arms. "I didn't know she could _fly_."

"Who are these men?" Natasha asked, nodding at the screens. "They're far too strong to be human – even the enhanced individuals I've come across don't possess this level of strength." When the room became silent once again, all eyes turned to Tony.

He held up his hands defensively. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"You're lying," Natasha stated coolly.

Fury stepped closer, glaring angrily at Tony. "Mr. Stark, if you know something we don't… _now_ would be the time to tell us," he warned.

Tony motioned to speak, but a loud, continuous beeping pulled everyone's attention away. _Saved by the bell. _He turned towards the sound, surprised to find his computer responsible for the obnoxious noise. The team gathered around the monitor, staring at the image which now repeatedly flashed before them.

"Well," Tony mumbled. "That's unexpected."

"Is it?" Steve asked accusingly. The two stared each other down before Tony pushed past him. He was finding it harder by the second not to punch the Boy Scout in his perfect, little face.

Thor stepped in, placing a hand on Tony's shoulder. He could practically feel the power radiating off of him. He learned firsthand this was not a man – eh, god – he wanted to upset without his suit on, especially in a room full of people who have made it abundantly clear they despised him. _Jealous, much?_

Thor stared at him seriously. "Thou shalt speak truthfully," he began. "Why is my brother consorting with this girl?" He asked, pointing at the image.

Again, everyone stared at the monitor uncomfortably. There was no mistaking the curvaceous blonde for anyone else. It was Silvia. Behind her stood Loki, holding her closely like an old lover, and she appeared to be enjoying it.

Tony shuddered repulsively at the thought of them together. "I don't know," he said, shaking his head with disappointment. He took another long, hard look at the image and became filled with guilt. "I don't know that girl anymore."

_This is my fault. I should've listened to her._

There was a long, quiet pause before Fury spoke. "Agent Hill," he said, speaking into his walkie-talkie, "inform the crew we're going to New York City. We found him." With his long, black jacket fluttering behind him, Fury abruptly left the room without another word.

Tony's heart sank. Finding Loki should have been a time to celebrate, but now he dreaded it. The last thing he wanted was to confront the bastard with Silvia at his side.

The Avengers gathered in a circle with Steve in the middle. "Suit up," he said, sounding unusually sullen.

Tony looked at the First Avenger with surprise. "What? No pep talk?" He asked.

Steve glared at Tony with contempt. "Yeah, don't die."

* * *

**Silvia**

"What happened?"

"She was shot."

"How long has she been unconscious?"

"A few minutes."

"Does she have any medical problems?"

"None that I'm aware of…"

"Is she on any medications?"

"I-I don't know…"

"Does she have any allergies?"

"I don't think so."

"What's her full name and age?"

"Camilla Grace Alamanni, 51."

The nurse looked up from her clipboard and stared at me, recognizing me instantly. She gave me an apologetic look and patted me on the shoulder, and though it was meant to be a comforting gesture, it left me feeling hollow and afraid. I stood outside the window of the operating room, watching as my mother's clothes were cut off. I barely recognized her with all of the wires hooked up to her body. When they brought out the paddles, I felt my legs go numb. One of the ER nurses quickly escorted me to the waiting room where I stood in a state of shock, just staring and waiting. Hours passed and I didn't move an inch. As I stood there waiting, more than a few people were led through the double doors, covered in blood and moaning in pain. I wondered if they were from my father's speech.

_Dad._

I took a brief glance around the room and stopped when I spotted a young, crying woman come through the glass sliding doors. She wasn't injured, so I assumed she was a friend or relative of one of the persons escorted inside just moments ago. I continued to awkwardly watch her as her crying became more distressful by the second. Instead of feeling sad or sorry for her, I only became angry. All I wanted to do was scream at her and tell her to quit crying.

She was the embodiment of everything I hated about myself – weak, pathetic, powerless. When I felt my fists begin to shake with rage, I ran outside and paced in front of the entrance doors, attempting to calm myself down. The cool, night air felt refreshing on my skin and soothing to my lungs – even though I seemed incapable of taking a deep breath.

"Excuse me, miss?" I spun around to see a man with his hand extended towards me. He was holding an open pack of cigarettes. "You look like you could use one," he said with an empathetic smile.

I hesitated briefly before silently nodding and accepting his offer. With the cigarette stuck between my lips, I leaned forward into the flame of his lighter and puffed gently until the end was glowing. With one last nod, he placed his hands in his pockets and walked through the sliding glass doors, leaving me alone with my stick of cancer.

I inhaled gently and immediately began coughing. My virgin lungs were furious with me. After a few more attempts, I got the hang of it and began to develop a nice buzz. I nodded appreciatively and gazed up at the clear night sky, mesmerized by the twinkling stars.

_How could a night as beautiful as this be the worst day of my life? _

With a sigh, I released the smoke from my mouth and covered the stars in a soft, white blanket. When the little balls of light re-emerged and appeared to shine even brighter than before, my body began to shake with grief. _Will I ever make it out of this darkness?_ I thought sadly to myself. Looking down at the ground, I became aware of heavy footsteps approaching me. I glanced to my side and saw a hefty, handsome man on the sidewalk heading towards me. It was Mar-Vell.

I dropped the still-burning cigarette in my hand and ran into his arms. "My dad," I cried. "Someone killed him, Mar-Vell. And – and my mother was shot."

"I know," he said quietly, stroking my head. "I was there…I caught him, Silvia," he said with grim satisfaction. My tears came to a halt.

I tilted my head back to look at him. His eyes were in the early stages of bruising, and his once-perfect face was now tarnished with several deep cuts. The red, zip-up hoodie he wore was splattered with blood – Kree blood – and burn marks that could only come from a plasma gun.

"That was you I saw in the street," I said. He nodded solemnly.

"Where is he?" I asked, eager to face the man who killed my father.

"Home – he's not going anywhere," he firmly replied. As I imagined ripping the man's heart out, I felt Mar-Vell's hand squeeze my shoulder. "He will answer for his crimes."

To my right, I heard a faint whooshing sound as the sliding glass doors opened up. Instantly, Mar-Vell's body became tense and alert. I followed his gaze to see a nurse standing at the entrance, gawking at the two of us - mostly Mar-Vell. She cleared her throat and approached us with an uncomfortable expression.

"Miss Alamanni, the doctor would like to speak with you now," she said timidly. Her body posture suggested she was frightened – but of what? Me?

I gave Mar-Vell a questioning look before following her, prompting him to join me by my side. He spoke in a low voice so only I could hear. "Many people witnessed the incident – many cameras as well," he said. "They will be coming for us, Silvia."

I glanced around nervously, suddenly aware of everyone watching the two of us. Nurses stopped what they were doing to stare at me, their eyes filled with suspicion and fear. By the time we reached the ICU, my stomach felt like it had been twisted into painful knots. We were led down a hallway and into a small room, furnished only with four metal chairs, a table, and a TV.

I glanced uneasily around the small room, not enjoying its melancholic atmosphere. There was a lump in my throat that seemed to be growing larger by the second, and the claustrophobic room was doing nothing to settle my nerves.

Mar-Vell took a protective stance by the door, watching me as I paced nervously across the small room. In an attempt to calm my nerves and distract me from my worries, I turned the TV on and instantly regretted the decision. Every channel – even the cartoon network – was plastered with images of my face. My legs began to shake as videos of me flying into the sky with my mother began to surface. I collapsed backwards into one of the cold, metal chairs and looked at Mar-Vell. He was staring unhappily at the TV, arms folded with unease.

We both turned as the door swung open. In the doorway stood a doctor accompanied by two men in black suits, both observing me closely. The doctor, whose eyes had remained cast downward, inhaled deeply and finally looked at me. There was an unmistakable sadness in his expression as he sat down before me.

The doctor's mouth grew tight. "I'm sorry Miss Alamanni. I have bad news – "

"No," I said, shaking my head. "She's not…"

"We did everything we could. Your mother's head injury caused swelling around her brain stem – " he said, stopping as I abruptly stood up. The two men behind him stiffened with attention and reached inside their jackets.

"Where is she?" I demanded angrily.

"Your mother has passed away," the doctor said more softly. "I am so sorry for your loss."

I leaned forward, grabbing ahold of his white jacket. Before the two men in suits could react, Mar-Vell lunged forward and slammed both men's heads together, rendering them unconscious.

I pulled the doctor across the table. "Where is my mother?" I yelled, shaking him.

He whimpered and closed his eyes in fear. "Room 315 – please don't hurt me," he begged, now beginning to cry.

I released him and exited the room without a backwards glance. In less than a minute I was standing outside room 315, hesitating only briefly before pushing open the door. In front of me was a hospital bed, and lying on top of it was my mother. The room was eerily quiet as I approached her bed, unable to look away from her calm, pale face. _She looks like she could be sleeping, _I thought sadly, suddenly getting an idea. Behind me I heard Mar-Vell enter the room, quietly watching me as I began rummaging through the drawers beside her bed.

"I can save her," I whispered, grabbing an IV.

In the far left corner of the room, I found the machine I was looking for and wheeled it over, trying not to entangle myself in all of the plastic tubing.

Mar-Vell inhaled unsteadily, as if he were shocked or surprised. "What are you doing?" he asked, worry in his voice.

I stared longingly at my mother's lifeless form. "Bringing her back to me," I said softly, looking down at my arm.

Mar-Vell watched in disbelief as I continued to tie a blue tourniquet around my bicep, causing the large vein in the crease to protrude. _Don't worry, Mom. It's going to be alright._ With the needle in my hand, I took a deep breath and gritted my teeth. At first it resisted against my half-Kree skin, but with my strength I was able to push through rather easily.

"Stop this," Mar-Vell ordered, taking ahold of my hand. "She is gone – there is nothing you can do."

"You're wrong," I said, angered by his pessimism. "I know this works… I've seen it." _Ronan saved me, so I can save her. _After securing the needle in my arm, I released the tourniquet and gently wrapped it around my mother's arm. An involuntary shudder ran through me as I felt the coolness of her skin.

"Kree blood is not a miracle drug," Mar-Vell said in a frustrated tone. When I didn't respond, he grabbed my hand and prevented me from inserting the IV into my mother's vein. "I will not watch you defile your mother's corpse."

"Then leave," I hissed, shrugging him off. He released a heavy sigh, grimacing when I continued to push the needle under her skin. Despite his disapproval, Mar-Vell did not leave as he said he would.

I turned the machine on and immediately felt it pump the blood from my body into my mother's. Her cold, stagnant blood slowly filled one of the fluid bags as it was replaced with my own. Mar-Vell and I both carefully observed my mother, watching and waiting for anything.

"This is wrong," Mar-Vell said finally, glancing sideways at me. "And you will die if you continue doing this."

By now I was leaning against her bed, too drained to stand without support. My clammy skin was covered in sweat and it was becoming increasingly difficult not to vomit and faint from the blood loss. Regardless, I wiped the sweat off my brow and shook my head, not wanting to give up. _Just a few more minutes._

"Come on, Mom," I said, feeling worse by the second. "Please…"

Mar-Vell wrapped one arm around me for support. "It's time to say goodbye," he said softly.

I vigorously shook my head, not wanting to give up. "I can't," I whispered.

His breath shook as he looked over his shoulder, obviously alarmed by something. "You must," he urged, grabbing ahold of my arm.

A moment later, I could hear dozens of footsteps echoing down the hallway, accompanied by hushed voices and the soft, metallic clacking of heavily armored men.

_SHIELD. _

Because of the blood loss, my mind seemed to be moving more quickly than my body. Mar-Vell gathered me in his arms as if I were a child and carried me to the window. There was no fire escape or railing to climb down, but we were close enough to the ground to jump and survive.

Mar-Vell opened the window just as SHIELD arrived at our door. With my chin resting on his shoulder, I watched the door begin to shake with each strike of the agent's battering ram. I wrapped my legs more tightly around Mar-Vell as he pulled himself up onto the window sill, preparing to jump. My eyes remained glued to the rhythmic pounding upon the door, and just when I feared we were too late, it abruptly stopped. Mar-Vell stopped and turned, watching the door as well. Suddenly there were screams, followed by rapid gun fire and more screams. I could hear bodies being slammed against the walls and bones snapping. It was the Kree assassin coming to finish his job.

As my pulse continued to rise and my blood pressure dropped, my vision slowly faded away. Reality turned into a dream-like world. Everything became muddled and bizarre, including my own hands. I closed my eyes to avoid getting sick and found myself slipping ever deeper into the darkness. It welcomed me with open arms.

A muffled voice spoke above me, bringing me out of my half-conscious state. "We… need…to go," I whispered, too tired to open my eyes. I could feel Mar-Vell's arms underneath me, cradling me close against his body. As I leaned into him and inhaled his scent, my heart fluttered with surprise. _Sandalwood and eucalyptus._ I knew that scent far too well to know it didn't belong to Mar-Vell.

_Could it really be..._

"Silvia," the voice said again. It was as clear and beautiful as a summer day, filling me with warmth and hope. I slowly opened my eyes. Everything remained blurry, but there was no mistaking that voice.

"Is it really you?" I whispered, fighting to stay awake. As my world began to fade to black, two purple eyes shined amidst the darkness and peered into my soul.

"Yes, I've come for you."

_Ronan._

* * *

**Author's note: OMG he's back! It's been forever. I ****_really_**** do hate to leave off on such a huge cliffhanger, but I didn't want to keep you waiting any longer for an update. I appreciate all of the messages and comments! Everyone has been really supportive and impressively patient. I've had A LOT going on. I accepted a job offer overseas, so I've been really busy with visa and permit stuff. It's crazy. But that's dealt with so now I have more time to write again! Yay! **

**Anyways, so yeah... Ronan is back. Sweet Jesus. I've already started working on the next chapter and let me tell you... it's crazy for real. My comic fans on here have already PM'd me guessing what's going to happen and I thank them for not spoiling anything for the other readers. As I've already said before, the Marvel universe is at my mercy :) But I've tried to make it fit here and there. Even if you do read the comics you might not have a clue what's going in or what will happen - which I LOVE because that will make it more of a surprise. **

**Silvia's life is a delight, right? Ugh I feel so bad for her... and her poor parents! Do you think Ronan's return is good or bad for Silvia? And what the hell does Loki want with her? *evil laugh* Only time will tell. I would love to hear predictions or any suggestions/feedback. Please continue to be patient as I write the next chapter :) I'm just as eager as all of you to have Ronan back. I promise will not leave you hanging.**


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